Jailed ZCTU, MDC Officials Are Not Prisoners Of Conscience - George Charamba

Presidential spokesperson George Charamba rejected MDC leader Nelson Chamisa’s assertions that civic and opposition leaders arrested over the January riots are prisoners of conscience.

In an interview with the Daily News, Charamba said the MDC should allow the judiciary to do its work since it is not the duty of the Executive of Legislature to deal with such issues. Said Charamba:

From our perspective, they are not prisoners of conscience, they are not even political prisoners, it is a very strange contradiction. At one point, he calls them Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union members, now he is calling them prisoners of conscience, from a union?

In other words, it is an admission on his part that this was a political programme. Anywhere, that set aside, if you are a suspect, the branch of the State called the judiciary comes in, it is not for the Executive, it is not for the Legislature and it is not for the opposition to say those persons should be freed unconditionally… Let us respect the judiciary, how are you importing judiciary issues to the dialogue? It’s an anomaly.

Charamba’s remarks come after Chamisa ignored Mnangagwa’s call for all losing presidential candidates in the July 2018 polls to meet for dialogue at State House on Wednesday.

Related:

• Chamisa Risks Losing The “Talks” Bus By Insisting On Pre-conditions For Dialogue – Mnangagwa

More: Daily News