Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the arrest and detention of Zimbabwean MP Job Sikhala, and (2) its implications for the prospects of a free and fair election in that country in the coming year.

The UK is aware of the trend of lengthy detention of government critics in Zimbabwe. We continue to monitor the ongoing detention of Job Sikhala MP, including through direct observation of court hearings. As the British Ambassador publicly stated on October 2, the UK is committed to the fundamental right to peaceful assembly and association as enshrined in Zimbabwe's constitution. It is for the people of Zimbabwe to choose their government through peaceful, credible and inclusive elections. We encourage the Government of Zimbabwe to implement the recommendations of the 2018 Electoral Observation Missions and to allow space for political opposition and civil society organisations to operate freely ahead of elections in 2023.