Prominent pro-democracy activist Job Sikhala has slammed the Zimbabwean government’s bid to rejoin the Commonwealth, citing its dismal human rights record and “persistent” persecution of opposition members.
The opposition politician noted that the recent rejection by the British Labour Party to support Zimbabwe’s readmission is no surprise, given the escalation of human rights abuses, arbitrary arrests, torture, and long pre-trial incarceration of opposition and human rights defenders.
He highlighted the abduction of Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza, and two others at Robert Mugabe International Airport as a significant incident that offended the benefit of doubt given to the regime.
“There is no regime desperate for validation more than our own regime in Zimbabwe. The recent rebuff by the British Labour Party government that it will not support the regime’s readmission back into the Commonwealth did not surprise some of us.
“With the recent escalation of human rights abuses, arbitrary arrests, torture, and long pre-trial incarceration of opposition and human rights and democracy defenders, no regional or international body would wish to be associated with the regime in Zimbabwe.
“Of significant note was the abduction of Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza and two others at Robert Mugabe International Airport. In diplomatic circles this incident offended the benefit of doubt they were giving to the regime,” Sikhala posted on his X handle.
The British government has publicly expressed its opposition to Zimbabwe’s bid to rejoin the Commonwealth, citing concerns over the country’s human rights record, governance, and democratic principles.
British Minister for Africa, Lord Collins, stated that the UK does not believe Zimbabwe has made sufficient progress in these areas to warrant readmission.
While acknowledging some progress, Lord Collins emphasised that further steps are necessary to align Zimbabwe with the shared values and principles outlined in the Commonwealth Charter.
The UK has called for a further Commonwealth assessment mission to Zimbabwe in 2025 to monitor progress in these areas.
Zimbabwe has been seeking to rejoin the Commonwealth since 2018, after withdrawing from the organization in 2003 following a suspension for human rights violations.
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Patricia Scotland, had recommended that Zimbabwe’s membership process progress to the next stage, but the British government’s stance has thrown a spanner in the works.
Sikhala said that Zimbabwe needed to change its ways and implement political and electoral reforms as recommended by the Commonwealth Observer Group to be accepted into the family of civilised nations.
“Zimbabwe needs to change the way it runs its state of affairs to be accepted in the family of the civilised world.
“Political and electoral reforms must be implemented as recommended by the Commonwealth Observer Group and stop all the nonsense of persecuting political opponents,” he said.
Sikhala recently spent nearly 600 days in jail for a crime of which he was later acquitted.
