By Idah Mhetu

THE arrest of MDC deputy national chairperson Job Sikhala on charges on subversion has raised political temperatures in Zimbabwe after almost six months of an uneasy calm.

With the party’s youth assembly threatening social upheaval, reports on Wednesday that Sikhala was due to appear for initial remand at the Rotten Row Magistrates’ Courts in Harare brought into the city hordes of youths demanding he be released on the argument his arrest was political.

However, authorities moved his hearing to Bikita. Below are some of the scenes captured by NewZimbabwe.com on Wednesday afternoon:

They came, sang, danced and chanted slogans denigrating President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration for arresting Sikhala

In the slammer, Sikhala’s picture held here by party supporters demonstrating against his arrest for allegedly threatening to overthrow President Emmerson Mnangagwa

MDC councilor in Harare, Girisoti Mandere holds aloft Sikhala’s picture outside court on Wednesday

Sad faces of MDC women activists pleading for Sikhala’s release. He never appeared, only for the State to announce he would be brought before a Bikita Magistrate, Thursday

Come Sikhala they called, he would not hear them, locked up by ….(they sang)

Solidly behind their deputy national chairman, MDC youths chant slogans in his honour on Wednesday, despite a party statement disassociating the opposition from his utterances