HARARE – A Zimbabwean court has freed opposition leader Jameson Timba and 34 activists after handing down suspended prison sentences for their involvement in what authorities described as an unlawful gathering.
Magistrate Collet Ncube sentenced Timba, the interim leader of a faction within the fragmented Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party, to a two-year prison term, wholly suspended. The activists received lesser suspended sentences after spending over five months in custody.
The court found Timba and the activists guilty last week, while 30 others arrested in the same case were acquitted.
The group was apprehended at Timba’s residence in Harare earlier this year, accused of disorderly conduct and participating in a gathering with intentions to incite violence or breach the peace. However, in September, the court cleared them of the disorderly conduct charges.
Defence lawyers argued that the gathering was a barbecue event to commemorate the Day of the African Child, an African Union observance.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the arrests and detentions, describing them as part of a broader clampdown on political dissent under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration. Amnesty also called for an investigation into allegations of torture inflicted on some activists while in police custody.
“This is part of a disturbing pattern of repression,” Amnesty International stated, urging Zimbabwean authorities to respect human rights and investigate the claims of abuse.
The ruling ZANU-PF party, led by Mnangagwa, has faced longstanding accusations of using state institutions, including the police and judiciary, to suppress opposition voices. These allegations echo practices seen during the 37-year rule of former President Robert Mugabe, who was ousted in a coup in 2017.
The release of Timba and the activists, coupled with the suspended sentences, has sparked debate about the state of democracy and the rule of law in Zimbabwe. Critics say the harsh treatment of political opponents signals a continuation of oppressive tactics, despite government claims of reform.
Observers suggest that the sentencing and subsequent release highlight the fragile political environment in Zimbabwe, as the CCC faction remains a prominent opposition force. With elections looming in the coming years, tensions between the government and othe pposition are expected to intensify further.
Both Timba and the CCC have yet to release official statements following the court’s decision.