Pelo afastamento de Robert Mugabe

By Tichaona Sibanda/SW Radio Africa
4 January 2012

MDC-99 President Job Sikhala continued his tough talk against Robert Mugabe on Wednesday, saying the time has come to form a united front against the ‘vindictive’ dictator.

Speaking on SW Radio Africa’s Hidden Story program, Sikhala said those opposing Mugabe need to join forces to achieve their goal of removing him from power. The ageing dictator who has led Zimbabwe with an iron fist since Independence in 1980 turns 88 next month.

Sikhala was arrested by police on New Year’s Day and kept in cells until Wednesday, facing charges of contravening the Immigration Act. He was freed without going to court after the Attorney-General’s office refused to prosecute him, citing lack of evidence.

Sikhala was told the state can proceed by way of summons if they find any evidence linking him to allegations that he facilitated an unlawful entry into Zimbabwe, of a white lady who is an advisor to the MDC-99.

‘This lady is Zimbabwean but holds a South African passport. Her family was chased away by Robert Mugabe and her crime is talking and giving advice to MDC-99.

‘How they let her into Zimbabwe is not my business because I’m not an immigration officer and I cannot be held accountable to how she crossed Beitbridge (border post) or came through Harare airport,’ Sikhala said.

The former University of Zimbabwe student leader said he was shocked and left extremely bitter at the way the state security apparatus arrested and threw him into a police cell on New Year’s Day. In the last month he has been arrested three times and on all occasions has been released for lack of evidence.

‘It was out of the blue, unexpected and ridiculous to be picked up for such a silly charge and kept in filthy cells for four days. It was during this period that I took time to reflect on the political situation in the country.

‘To be honest and frank with you, I’m sick and tired of this harassment from Mugabe’s regime. While in cells, I was thinking aloud and said to myself, how best do we deal with this evil dictator so that the people of Zimbabwe will be able to enjoy their freedom,’ said Sikhala.

He continued: ‘This is when I told myself that once I leave these cells I will make a national and international call to my brothers and sisters in the MDC formations that time has come to bury our narrow and small differences.

‘Once we do this, then we can build a formidable united front and confront this dictator called Robert Mugabe. All the other differences we have will then be resolved, once we’ve seen the back of Mugabe.’

Sikhala explained that the fall of Mugabe and his ZANU PF party would be hastened if all forces opposing the tyrannical system co-operate with one another, on the basis of national interest.

‘Despite the growing anti-Mugabe and ZANU PF sentiment, the absence of a strong united front is the reason we have not been able to topple him.

‘There is however a widely shared view that there is a need to develop a common, united platform from all sections of the pro-democracy movement to fight him in the next poll,’ Sikhala said.