Sikhala's wife breaks down

Job Sikhala's wife on Monday broke down as she gave a moving testimony of how the jailed opposition lawmaker and his family have been let down by what she described as Zimbabwe's "shameful" judiciary.

Ellen Sikhala was speaking at the launch of the report, "Justice Delayed is Justice Denied (Persecution by Prosecution)" authored by human rights defenders focusing on how Job Sikhala remains in prison even if he has not been convicted.

The event was held at SAPES Trust in Harare.

The report is a legal critic of the manner in which Zimbabwe's judicial processes have been violated at will by court officials to deny Sikhala his freedom as enshrined in the national constitution.

The report does not delve into the merits of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) politician's trial which is still sub judice.

The father of 12 children has been languishing at Chikurubi Maximum Prison since his arrest mid-June last year, charged with violence incitement.

His many bail attempts have been dismissed on every turn by Zimbabwean courts which maintain the fiery politician has propensity to commit similar offences, having been arrested more than 60 times since he broke onto the Zimbabwean political arena in his raw 20s nearly two decades ago.

His lawyers argue he has never been convicted in any of the offences.

In her testimony, Ellen Sikhala said life has been tough as she took the mantle to fend for the lawmaker's big family when its breadwinner languishes in jail.

She said her family has not benefitted from Zimbabwe's criminal justice system that continues to delay processes that should lead to the conclusion of the legislator's case.

"It is stressful especially during the court days; you will see that our judiciary is a shame, it is a shame to the nation, it is a shame to the whole world, it is not doing what it is supposed to do," Ellen said.

She narrated how Sikhala's family members are made to while up time within corridors of Rotton Row court without any meaningful progress to her husband's trial.

"It's a shame and it is confusing always to stand the whole day roaming around the courts with nothing happening," she said.

"As a family, we just hope the Lord will keep him safe for us in the horrible cells in which he is living.

"It is a place that he is not supposed to be, but our hands are tied; we just feel and hope that the Lord will take us through as the experience is just bad for us."

Ellen broke down.

Among guests who consoled her was Tanele Maseko, wife to slain ESwatini human rights defender Thulani Maseko who died in a hail of bullets January by assassins who stormed a family home in the tiny kingdom to commit the crime.

Tanele flew in to grace the occasion and also share her experiences as a spouse to a targeted human rights defender.

She said Zimbabwe and Eswatini both have constitutions that are explicit on the protection of citizen rights but regretted how the same laws are being violated by the ruling elite.

She lamented how Zimbabwe's constitution has failed to serve Sikhala, also a human rights defender.

Tanele said, while directing her comments to Ellen, "I want to say, my sister, I know it's not easy, I know it's tough; but this one you have to stick it out.

"It's going to be a long road, I ask you and the kids to hold the faith and fight on."

The event, organised by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum in partnership with the Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (Southern Defenders), was graced by some prominent human rights defenders and a handful staff from some embassies.

The event also saw the simultaneous launch of the first Southern Africa Model Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Work of Human Rights Defenders which is designed to introduce standards for the protection and promotion of human rights defenders and their work in Southern Africa, with a view to encourage SADC Member States to legislate the standards.