3rd February 2024
Wezhira Munya
On February 2, 2024, President Nelson Chamisa marked his 46th birthday by paying a visit to advocate Job Sikhala at his residence in Harare.
The purpose of the visit was to welcome advocate Sikhala after he spend long time in prison, engaging in discussions on various matters and share a moment of prayer together.
President Chamisa, in celebrating his birthday, chose to spend some time with advocate Sikhala, with whom he has a longstanding political history of collaboration in different political parties: MDC under late President Tsvangirai, MDC Alliance and Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party.
However, President Chamisa had been unable to visit advocate Sikhala during his time in prison due to security concerns raised by the prison authorities.
Nonetheless, President Chamisa and numerous members of the CCC party showed their support by attending advocate Sikhala’s court proceedings and writing letters to the Zimbabwean government, embassies, and international entities, urging for his release.
The president [Chamisa] also used his popular social media platforms, including Twitter and Facebook, to call for advocate Sikhala’s freedom.
Advocate Sikhala, who had spent over 500 days in Chikurubi Maximum Prison, was finally released on January 30, 2024.
To commemorate President Chamisa’s birthday, hundreds of Chitungwiza citizens gathered outside advocate Sikhala’s house, singing joyful birthday songs as the President departed.
Throughout advocate Sikhala’s ordeal, the CCC members in Zimbabwe, Britain, America, Namibia, South Africa, and other countries showed their solidarity by offering prayers, moral support, and providing financial and material assistance to advocate Sikhala’s family.
