by Tendai Matunhu

MDC Zengeza West legislator, Job Sikhala is in a bid to mobilise MDC supporters to attend his court case, seeking public opinion and sympathy so as to sway the court’s ruling and judgment.

Sikhala is facing charges of subverting constitutional Government and is being represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Mr Jeremiah Bhamu. The highly publicised Sikhala trial which commenced today at the Masvingo High Court has been postponed to, 14 February 2019, pending determination on the exception of a full trial. Meanwhile Justice Garainesu Mawadze presided over the case.

Speaking to this publication, one political analyst Taurai Chinobva said MDC is trying to use public opinion to sway Court’s ruling, but they will not get their way.

“What the MDC does not realise is that our Zimbabwean courts are independent and cannot be swayed by political influences in any way. What the MDC is trying to do is a court of public opinion.

“Justices does not have to run or campaign for re-election, they are thought to be isolated from political pressure when deciding cases. Courts are independent and not influenced by what people think, the courts are non-partisan,” he said.

He said Sikhala’s efforts of inviting MDC hooligans for public opinion to his court hearings are null and void because people would not attend the hearing. He said people are tired of being used by the MDC officials.

Chinobva went on to say that politics and justice are not related in any way and divorced from each other. “MDC is a confused lot and they have no idea how politics and the law run,” he said.

Violence is in the MDC’s DNA as they disrupt the course of law any chance they get. Soon after the 2018 harmonised elections MDC took Zanu PF to the Constitutional Court where they challenged the Presidential election results saying they had proof that they had won the elections, but they never brought forward the proof.