Zimbabwean opposition MP charged with treason

News24
10 Jul 2019, 00:41 GMT+10

A Zimbabwean MP Job Sikhala, vice-chairman of the opposition MDC party, was on Tuesday charged with treason for allegedly saying he wanted to overthrow the president.

Sikhala was "formally charged with attempting to overthrow the government unconstitutionally", his lawyer Obey Shava told AFP, saying his client denied the charges.

Sikhala, an often outspoken senior official in the Movement for Democratic Change party, allegedly said in a speech at a rally on Saturday that the party would unseat President Emmerson Mnangagwa before the next election.

"We are going to overthrow him (Mnangagwa) before 2023," Sikhala was quoted as saying.

Some Zimbabweans hoped that the ousting of long-time autocrat Robert Mugabe in 2017 would usher in a more tolerant political scene as Mnangagwa sought to attract foreign investment.

But government critics have been frequently targeted by the police and security forces as the country's economy tips into crisis.

The ZANU-PF government reacted furiously to the remarks, with information secretary Nick Mangwana describing the speech as an "insurgent rant".

Mnangagwa promised a fresh start for Zimbabwe after decades of repression and economic decline under Mugabe.

But his presidency has been marked by brutal security crackdowns and rocketing inflation.

GET THE NEWS at your fingertips and download the News24 app for Android here now. Get it for your iPhone here.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Zimbabwe Star.

More Information

70 ℉

Fair in Madison

International

Section

No precedent for Trump to take cut of TikTok deal

NEW YORK, New York - President Donald Trump's demand that the U.S. government get a cut from a potential Microsoft ...

Names of 9 youthful Marines and Sailor killed in AAV tragedy named

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper has paid tribute to the youthful eight Marines ...

Taoiseach Micheal Martin pays tribute to John Hume

DUBLIN, Ireland - Taoiseach Micheal Martin joined a long list of Irish, Northern Ireland global leaders on Monday in paying ...

Trump orders agencies to employ Americans ahead of foreigners

WASHINGTON, DC - President Donald Trump said Monday that he had fired the chair of the Tennessee Valley Authority, criticizing ...

New Cold War looms as Chinese-U.S. relations edge closer to collapse

Tensions between the United States and China are rising as the U.S. election nears, with tit-for-tat consulate closures, new U.S. ...

Prison in eastern Afghanistan under ferocious attack by ISIS fighters

KABUL, Afghanistan - An attack on a prison in eastern Afghanistan by ISIS fighters which began on Sunday has continued ...

Africa

Section

Movie Review

The Story of Temple Drake

Story of Temple Drake