Correspondent|INFORMATION, Media and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Mr. Nick Mangwana has said government will not drop charges against MDC deputy chairman Tendai Biti just because the US said so. Mr Biti is facing charges of inciting post-election violence that led to the death of six people in Harare on August 1.

He is also facing charges of contravening Section 66A (1) of the Electoral Act Chapter 2:13, which prohibits the unofficial or false declaration of election results as he unlawfully declared opposition party leader Mr Nelson Chamisa as the winner of the July 30 presidential elections.

“The Government cannot on one hand say no one is above the law and everyone should enjoy the benefit of due process as enshrined in our Constitution and statutes and on the other hand interfere with that due process,” Mr Mangwana said, who is also the Government spokesperson.

Mr Mangwana said under President Mnangagwa’s Second Republic, the country would respect its Constitution, particularly with regards to separation of powers between the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature.

The Government also slammed United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mr Matthew Harrington for claiming that Zimbabwe was harassing political opposition and that authorities should drop what he termed “spurious charges” against MDC-Alliance vice chairman Mr Tendai Biti.

During a US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, on Thursday, Mr Harrington suggested that there was “harassment of members of the political opposition” and said the Government of Zimbabwe “should drop spurious charges against former finance minister and prominent opposition figure Tendai Biti and all those who have been arbitrarily detained for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

But Government yesterday pushed back strongly, slating the US for its interference and duplicity.

Mr Mangwana said in line with its diplomatic thrust of re-engaging with the international community, Zimbabwe was willing to make friends, but would not brook lectures on the conduct of its domestic affairs.

Said Mr Mangwana: “Government will continue to engage with those who we don’t necessarily agree with us on some matters in order to find common ground. However, that does not include directives from those friends or allies on who to prosecute and who not to prosecute, who to appoint to certain positions or not. That would be contrary to the ethos which informs our sovereignty and independence.”