US accuses Zimbabwe of harassing and deporting officials, as relations deteriorate further

BY FARAI MUTSAKA
Associated Press

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — The State Department has accused Zimbabwean authorities of harassing and detaining officials from the U.S. development agency USAID before deporting them last month. The State Department said the officials were in Zimbabwe to assess the country’s development and governance situation with the permission of the host government. The incident was only made public Friday. Relations between the two countries have been icy since Washington imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe more than two decades ago over allegations of human rights abuses. Last week, the U.S sanctioned Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, its first lady and other government officials for their alleged involvement in corruption and human rights abuses.