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Zimbabwean opposition leader and outspoken government critic Job Sikhala was arrested in South Africa on Friday for allegedly possessing explosives, his brother confirmed to AFP.
Reports from Zimbabwean media indicated Sikhala’s arrest, and South African police later confirmed they had detained two men found with 26 blasting cartridges and detonating devices in their vehicle.
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According to police, the suspects — aged 53 and 78 — will appear in court on Monday, but their names will not be released until then. However, Zimbabwean and South African media identified the younger suspect as Job Sikhala, a former legislator with the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party.
Sikhala’s brother, Harry Sikhala, told AFP that lawyers had informed the family of his arrest. “He has been arrested, as far as I know,” he said, explaining that Job and their uncle were stopped by police while driving home from visiting friends. He added that it was still unclear how the explosives ended up in their car.
Sikhala was only recently released in January 2024 after serving over 18 months in detention on charges of inciting public violence — a case his supporters claimed was politically motivated.
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Following his release, he told AFP that the long imprisonment had taken a heavy toll on him, saying, “Everything about me was eroded during my incarceration.”
His arrest comes amid rising political tensions in Zimbabwe, after the ruling Zanu-PF party signaled plans to amend the constitution to allow President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in power since 2017, to extend his term.
In recent years, several activists and opposition figures critical of Mnangagwa’s administration have faced arrest and harassment.
By: AFP
