Zimbabwe’s politician and friend to Kenya’s former Prime Minister Raila Odinga Silas Jakakimba is in deep trouble with the Zimbabwe authority following the election aftermath chaos that erupted in Harare last week.
According to one of Zimbabwe’s leading newspaper, police in the country are keen to interogate Mr Jakakimba over the electoral protests.
Chaos broke out in Harare after supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa took to the streets in violent protests against the election results.
In a statement by Zimbabwe Police Chief Spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said, “The Zimbabwe Republic Police is keen to interview Silas Jakakimba, a Kenyan national in connection with the disturbances which occurred in Harare on 1 August 2018.”
Mr. Jakakimba has now been put on the government wanted list where the police spokesperson has asked citizens of Zimbabwe to give information any information to the police on his the whereabouts should he be seen in the country.
According to Jakakimba while talking to the Nation while reacting to the reports of his intended arrest by Zimbabwean authorities, he said that he was in Harare for three days and left on Tuesday afternoon for Nairobi before violence rocked Harare.
“When I left, Harare was normal, folks warm and welcoming, streets busy and skies clear-blue,” said Mr Jakakimba.
In the wake of the chaos, rowdy youths attempted to access the Rainbow Towers, where the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission national vote counting centre was based, in a bid to interfere with results announcement.
According to Mr Jakakimba, he has never been a strategist for neither the MDC Alliance nor its presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa.
He explained that Mr Odinga, who has termed the arrest threats as baseless, had asked him to visit the south African nation to specifically convey his goodwill message to the MDC Alliance at its public rally at the Freedom Square in Harare.
In addition Mr. Jakakimba said, “If you check YouTube footage of the last Harare MDC rally, you will notice Nelson Chamisa informing the mammoth crowd that the alliance is pleased to welcome goodwill message from Hon. Raila Odinga of Kenya, ably represented here by my friend and brother Silas Jakakimba.”
Mr Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party has enjoyed cordial relationship with MDC, Zimbabwe biggest opposition party.
In 2012, the late Morgan Tsvangirai, who led the MDC, was the chief guest at Orange party’s National Convention where Mr Odinga was publicly declared as the presidential candidate for the party.
Mr Jakakimba is currently in his upcountry home in Kakimba Village, Mfang’ano Island of Lake Victoria in Homa Bay County.
Should Harare insist on apprehending Mr Jakakimba over the poll chaos, then fears of a possible strained diplomatic relationship between Harare and Nairobi may ensue.
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a former ally of Robert Mugabe, narrowly won the country’s landmark election, in an outcome that fuelled fraud allegations as security forces patrolled the streets to prevent protests.
Zimbabwe went into their presidential poll last week where youth demonstrated following the results of the elections. Three people were killed in protests on Wednesday after the army opened fire in central Harare during demonstrations over alleged fraud in the country’s elections.
According to police spokeswoman Charity Charamba, “The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the unfortunate deaths of three people during the riots and melee which occurred in Harare Central business district.”
Former colonial power Britain on Wednesday called for restraint in Zimbabwe after at least three people were killed when soldiers opened fire on crowds protesting alleged fraud in this week’s election.
Foreign office minister Harriett Baldwin said on Twitter that she was “deeply concerned” by the violence in Zimbabwe following the first nationwide vote since autocratic president Robert Mugabe was forced out by a brief military takeover in November.