Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has distanced itself from statements made by vice chairperson Job Sikhala at a rally in Bikita East on Saturday.
Sikhala told his party supporters that he was ready to illegally overthrow President Mnangagwa’s government before the expiry of his term of office in 2023. “We are a committed leadership that will give Zanu PF headaches and [Amos] Chibaya was not lying or joking about the war and fight we are going to take to the doorsteps of Emmerson Mnangagwa.“We are going to overthrow him before 2023 that is not a joke,” he said.
This prompted the police to summon him to report to Harare Central Police Station on Tuesday where he is facing treason charges.
In a statement released Monday evening, MDC said it believes in non-violence, legality and constitutionalism stating that Sikhala’s statements were personal views which were misconstrued.
“For the record MDC believes in constitutional, democratic , non-violent and legal means of resolving the national crisis .We have never be perpetrators of illegality and non violence if anything we have always been the victims,” read part of the statement.
This follows a stern warning from government advising the opposition party to refrain from undermining legitimate authority and vowed to arrest perpetrators of such crime following Sikhala’s outburst.