ARRESTED on 14 June 2022, Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala clocks 200 days behind bars for allegedly inciting violence in Nyatsime.
RUVIMBO MUCHENJE
He addressed mourners who had gathered for a prayer meeting held in honour of Moreblessing Ali, an opposition CCC member who was gruesomely killed by Zanu PF member Pias Jamba.
Having spent such a long time away from family and friends, Sikhala has penned a letter of resilience and defiance from the high walls of Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
Below is the letter that he has written to family and friends. He asked The NewsHawks to share the letter.
BELOVED ZIMBABWEANS AND WORLD FRIENDS AT LARGE
By Honourable Job Wiwa Sikhala
From Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison
Dear Zimbabweans, worldwide friends at large, ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, Comrades and friends. This message is brought to you from the depth of the oasis of my heart. I dearly love you all and wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
It has been over six months now since I was thrown in the dungeon and bungalow of Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison where I am made to live like a rat, but your unflinching and unwavering support and love have been keeping me going. I am prepared to walk all the distance long until God’s time has come to pass. This persecution script has God’s footprints written all over it.
I repeat for the umpteenth time, I have not committed any crime.
Since birth, I have never killed or hurt a fly and until death I shall never kill or hurt one. I am being persecuted because I was defending a weak and powerless Moreblessing Ali. To Moreblessing Ali, I am being crucified and made to live like a rat, because of you. I am being crucified because of the generality of the suffering Zimbabweans.
Moreblessing Ali, I am not even bitter about what is happening to me. I love all who are taking turns and rotations to insult, humiliate and malign me.
I have got no bitterness in my heart whatsoever. I rather feel my heart filled with love and I smile at them. Great nations have not been built on bitterness but love. The world was amazed when they saw Nelson Mandela smiling, the first day he appeared on the public from Robben Island after 27 years of treacherous persecution by the oppressors.
So, to all those who have been plotting evil against me, I love you all. To those who have been taking turns to insult, humiliate and malign me, I love you all. Those who have been sent to execute treachery against me, I love you all. I know every detail of all plans and plots against me. To the planners and plotters, I love you all. You are just playing a role to fulfill what was revealed to me long before this happened, by someone blessed by God with time revelations.
Love and not bitterness has built great nations.
Those who chose love over bitterness have left legacies that will endure for centuries. Nelson Mandela, like the biblical David and Jesus Christ, has left a legacy that will endure centuries to come, because of love over bitterness. As persons, we must ponder whether legacy will remember us. Legacy can only remember us, if we build a nation of love, happiness, peace and equality.
No one deserves to be killed because of his political beliefs. Politics should be competition of brightest ideals and values. I pray that history will remember me as a man who suffered for defending the fatherless, the weak and the powerless in our society. Let no one be mistaken. This just happens naturally to me. I do not want any reward for it or any suggestion for power.
Let those who need power have it and use it responsibly. Please I am not interested in any power. Get this clearly. I did not even want to contest in 2018, but I was dragged against my wish by the people. You might persecute me on the wrong assumption that I want power, please be advised that I want none. I am just a social activist and not a power monger.
To my dearest wife, you have been made a widow during the lifetime of your husband. I am no longer able to toil for our children the way I used to do. You never missed a meal of your choice when I was not withdrawn from you. Do not bother yourself about what you will eat tomorrow, God will provide for you. He shall raise and inspire several people who are sharing the pain with me, who will assist you during the time of need.
If the situation becomes tough, dearest mother of our children, don’t be troubled to miss a meal or two per day. Adapt to survive on one meal a day. God will keep your body and your soul together. No matter how long I will be withdrawn from you and our children, please praise the Lord for He is in charge.
To my lovely children, don’t be distracted from your books. You are the pride of my heart, for God has given you extraordinary brilliance at school. Like I always advise you, the intelligence you all have is not yours, but God’s. God will not allow you to be withdrawn from schools and universities because you have been made fatherless during my lifetime. God shall raise men and women of good standing, who are sharing the pain and predicament your father is going through to help you proceed with your education, like what they did this semester.
Like I always tell you, I want you to be aerospace scientists, doctors, lawyers and engineers. Some of you, have already your father’s wishes.
Remain focused and leave my predicament in the hands of God. He shall solve it in his own way.
Be blessed, dearest Zimbabweans and my worldwide friends.
