By Paidashe Mandivengerei

THE MDC youth assembly Tuesday threatened social upheaval if their party’s vice chair, Job Sikhala was prosecuted for threatening the overthrow of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Zengeza West legislator, Sikhala on Saturday said at a party rally in Bikita, Masvingo his party was planning to topple Mnangagwa before he could finish his five year term in 2023.

“We are going to overthrow him (President Mnangagwa) before 2023. That is not a joke,” Sikhala was quoted as saying.

Following the utterances, Sikhala was summoned by the Harare Central Law and Order division where he charged with attempting to subvert a constitutionally elected government.

The opposition’s youths declared Sikhala’s arrest as their ‘Sarajevo moment ‘ alluding to the famous historical event that catalysed the First World War.

“The Assembly and the party in general has an obligation to stand in solidarity with long suffering masses whose nervous conditions we all know is a direct result of a bastion of governance failure by ZANU PF.

“That Honorable Sikhala chose the words “overthrow of Emmerson Mnangagwa” instead of subtle adjectives is an issue of semantics.

“The bottom line is that people are sick and tired of the whole ZANU PF system and henceforth its removal or ‘”overthrow’ through constitutional means is long overdue!

“What Honourable Sikhala said is just a mirror reflection of the sentiments of the ordinary people in the country.

“If anything, a Sikhala illegal arrest will be our own Sarajevo moment that the country desperately awaits,” reads part of the statement.

There however seems to be disagreements within the main opposition party on whether to support or sack the deputy national chair.

The MDC threw Sikhala under the bus, disowning the utterances stating he made the comments in his personal capacity and not as party representative.

Contrary to the party’s position, the youths have jumped to Sikhala’s defence, saying the charge is mere political persecution and as a party they have an obligation to support the suffering general populace.