Chamisa told can only be cleared by Mnangagwa to visit Sikhala and Sithole

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has barred main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa from visiting incarcerated party MPs Job Sikhaka and Godfrey Sithole citing ‘he was a high profile politician’ and only President Emmerson Mnangagwa could clear him to visit.

Sikhala and Sithole are charged with incitement to commit public violence at the funeral wake of murdered CCC activist Moreblessing Ali.

Chamisa on Monday went to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to see two jailed legislators. But he was barred.

CCC deputy spokesperson Gift Ostallos Siziba said Chamisa’s visit was stopped by the ZPCS officers who argued that his access could only be cleared by the President of the country, Emmerson Mnangagwa or the Commissioner General.

“President Nelson Chamisa was here to visit Honourable Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole and 12 other party activists from the Citizens Coalition for Change who were arrested on frivolous charges,” Siziba said.

“The President was not allowed to visit, both in his personal capacity as a lawyer and an advocate of the High Court. The instruction we got is that President Chamisa is a high profile politician, he can only be cleared by the President of the country or the Commissioner General.

“This is something which is not within the law of this country. We are going to engage the highest office to deal with Prisons to make sure that we get access to our comrades.”

The two legislators were denied bail by both the magistrate court and High Court.

Sikhala has since been slapped with another charge of obstructing the course of justice. He is waiting for a bail ruling to be delivered on Tuesday.