THE wife of slain Eswatini human rights defender Thulani Maseko has sent a solidarity message to Job Sikhala’s spouse as the Zengeza West Member of Parliament nears a year in prison.
Tenele Thwala, whose husband was assassinated for allegedly challenging Eswatini ruler King Mswati III, decried the state of unconstitutionality in Zimbabwe and Eswatini.
Speaking in Harare at the launch of her book titled ‘Justice Delayed is Justice Denied’, which chronicles Sikhala’s pre-trial detention, Tanele, who is a human rights lawyer, bemoaned the weaponisation of the law by those in power.
“To Mrs Sikhala I know it’s not easy, I know it’s tough but this one you have to stick it out. I come from Swaziland where we don’t have political parties, where we live with an absolute monarch but what strikes me is that I am now in Zimbabwe and Anorld alluded to the fact that Zimbabwe has a vibrant proper constitution,” Tanele said.
“Now where I then have a problem is the fact that we all have these constitutions we all claim to have judiciaries, but my question is are these judiciaries independent,” she said.
She added that the Zimbabwean government was trampling on the constitution at the expense of ordinary citizens.
“Does the judiciary save the interest of us the general public because here we have Mrs Sikhala’s issue, her husband is an ordinary lawyer who is servicing ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe, but once he speaks out he is arrested.
“Now does this constitution that is vibrant serve Mrs Sikhala and her family,” queried Tanele.
She also opened up on the two-year arrest of her husband adding that the rampant abuse of Human Rights Defenders (HRD) was rife in Southern Africa.
“I want to console you, my sister, it’s going to be a long road. I ask you and the kids to hold the faith and fight on.
“My husband was arrested for two years his trial was shame trial, the judiciary was not independent, and it was a long road but what then scares me also is here we are launching this very vital and important document about Job Sikhala but in Zimbabwe also we have the issue of Itai Dzamara nothing is being said.
“But my fear is we have these issues with HRDs in the region now who do we hold accountable it’s not because we don’t know what is supposed to be done but it is the lack of leadership.
“I encourage you to keep it up and fight on. I know it is not easy and pray that in that dark lonely place Sikhala will fight,” she added.