ZANU PF IS RUNNING SCARED: WHY THEY FEAR JOB SIKHALA AND THE PEOPLE

The fight for democracy in Zimbabwe is not over. The ruling party, ZANU PF, is showing the world that it is not ready to let go of power. The arrest of Job Sikhala and 39 others in Penhalonga proves that the government is afraid. They do not want people to speak. They do not want people to organize. They know that change is coming, and instead of listening, they choose to silence those who want a better Zimbabwe.

Job Sikhala was arrested with other activists during a National Democratic Working Group (NDWG) meeting. NDWG is not a political party. It is a group that wants people to talk about the future of Zimbabwe. But ZANU PF saw this as a problem. They wanted to stop it. This was not just about arresting Sikhala. It was a warning to everyone who wants change.

Sikhala and the 39 others were released, but their chief national organizer, Engineer Joelson Mugari, was kept in jail. His health was bad. He needed his medicine, but the police refused to give it to him. He became very sick. Only after pressure from activists did the police take him to Mutare General Hospital. This is how cruel the system is. The government does not care about the people. They only care about staying in power.

The arrest was violent. It started when CIO officers came in a dark-windowed Toyota Hilux. They watched the meeting and left. Then, another vehicle came, this time without number plates. It carried police intelligence officers and members of CID Law and Order. Everyone knew something bad was about to happen. Minutes later, riot police arrived in big trucks, carrying AK-47s. They stormed the meeting, beating and kicking people. This is how ZANU PF treats those who want a better Zimbabwe.

One police officer pointed a gun at Dr. Wurayayi Zembe and said he would shoot him. But Dr. Zembe stayed calm. Imagine living in a country where the police can threaten to kill people just because they gathered to talk. Sikhala also faced threats. When he tried to greet the Officer Commanding, the officer refused and said, “Ndakarombaka ini. Ko mhepo dzangu dzikazokubata?” This was a way to intimidate him. But Sikhala did not back down.

The activists were charged under the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA). But this law does not apply to private meetings. ZANU PF holds its own politburo meetings without police approval. So why should activists be treated differently? The answer is simple: ZANU PF is twisting the law to target its opponents.

The arrested activists were thrown into pickup trucks while it was raining heavily. They were taken to Penhalonga Police Station and forced to sit on a dirty floor for hours. Later, they were moved to Mutare Central CID Law and Order. No real charges were made against them. Instead, four of them, including Sikhala, Mugari, and Dr. Zembe, were taken for questioning. This is how ZANU PF tries to scare those who stand up for democracy.

ZANU PF is afraid. They see that the people are waking up. They see that their own system is breaking. They see the fights inside their own party. They do not know what to do. So, they arrest activists. They send riot police. They use violence. But Zimbabweans are tired. They are tired of suffering. They are tired of corruption. They are tired of lies.

The ruling party knows that change is coming. They know that they cannot rule forever. But they are trying to hold on to power by force. They hope that arrests, beatings, and threats will scare the people. But they are wrong. The people of Zimbabwe will not stay silent forever.

The question is, how long can ZANU PF keep using fear to rule? How long will they choose violence instead of leadership? The world is watching. History has shown that no dictatorship lasts forever. The people of Zimbabwe will win in the end.