Washington, D. C. – In a somber ceremony held in Chitungwiza, on the outskirts of Harare, the opposition activist Moreblessing Ali was laid to rest, marking the end of a two-year period of mourning and political controversy following her tragic death. Ali, a prominent member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), was abducted in 2022 and found deceased two weeks later, leading to widespread outrage and calls for justice.
The delay in her burial was due to the family’s insistence on waiting for the release of Joe Sikhala, a senior CCC official and the family’s attorney, who was detained after accusing supporters of the ruling Zanu-PF party of being behind Ali’s murder. After nearly two years in custody, Sikhala was released this January, receiving a suspended sentence.
At the funeral, Sikhala, who has since resigned from the CCC, vowed that Ali’s death would galvanize the political movement, stating, “Her death will play a role in Zimbabwe’s political trajectory. She is going to inspire us to remain strong.” The family expressed a mix of relief and frustration, with her brother Wellington Ali acknowledging the hardship they endured, and her sister Mildred Ali criticizing the leniency of the sentence handed to Pius Jamba, the convicted individual, while alleging that other culprits remain at large.
The funeral itself was not without incident, as it was disrupted by infighting among various factions of the CCC, reflecting the party’s struggles to maintain unity. The CCC, which had achieved significant electoral success in major cities and towns, has faced internal divisions since its leader Nelson Chamisa’s departure earlier this year.
The political landscape in Zimbabwe remains tense, with concerns mounting over the state of democracy following the Zanu-PF party’s consolidation of power in parliament, effectively diminishing the presence of significant opposition.
