Sikhala says he was set up by Zanu-PF

Prominent Zimbabwean opposition politician Job Sikhala has alleged that his arrest in South Africa for allegedly possessing explosives was a politically motivated setup orchestrated by the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Sikhala was arrested early Friday morning in Pretoria after police reportedly found 26 blasting cartridges and 15 capped fuse connectors in a vehicle he was travelling in. He was taken into custody at Pretoria Central Police Station and is expected to appear in court on Monday.

The arrest sparked an online frenzy, with images of Sikhala in handcuffs widely shared on social media. Zanu-PF supporters celebrated the development, while his allies decried what they described as another attempt to destroy his political career.

Sikhala's South African lawyer, Eric Mabuza, confirmed that his client denies any knowledge of the explosives, insisting that the opposition leader was being framed.

"It is an allegation he denies," Mabuza told SABC after meeting Sikhala. "He says this is foul play because when he went out with his uncle for dinner, he was not carrying any explosives. Those were only found as he was driving out. He insists he came to South Africa for medical attention, not anything related to explosives."

Sikhala's arrest comes months after his release from a gruelling 595-day pretrial detention in Zimbabwe, where he was held without conviction on multiple charges linked to anti-government protests. His imprisonment, described by human rights groups as politically motivated, left him in deteriorating health and financially ruined after losing his law firm.

Sources close to Sikhala said he travelled to South Africa to receive specialist medical treatment, a routine trip he has made several times since his release.

Fellow opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume described the latest incident as "a clear setup," suggesting the explosives were planted. "His family has been informed, and we believe this is another desperate attempt to silence a man who has endured so much persecution," Ngarivhume said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The National Democratic Working Group, a civic organisation aligned with Sikhala, also expressed concern over the arrest, saying it suspected foul play.

Sikhala, who has been one of the most outspoken critics of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration, has faced a long history of arrests, court cases, and intimidation. His latest ordeal adds to a growing list of controversies involving Zimbabwean opposition figures facing legal challenges at home and abroad.

South African police have yet to issue an official statement detailing the circumstances of the arrest or the outcome of preliminary investigations.