Godfrey Marawanyika
19 December 2003
BOTSWANA has broken ranks with the rest of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) over Zimbabwe's continued suspension from the Commonwealth, it has been learnt.
This follows last week's statement by 13 Sadc states saying they were not happy with Zimbabwe's further suspension from the Commonwealth.
Jeff Ramsay, Press Secretary to President Festus Mogae, said Botswana was not party to the statement issued by a number of Sadc states after the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Abuja.
"It should be further noted that Botswana was not in fact present at the meeting at which certain Sadc countries agreed to issue the said statement distancing themselves from the position taken by the Commonwealth as a whole," Ramsay said.
"In the spirit of compromise, Botswana accepted the Commonwealth heads of government of member states' decision to endorse the recommendations of the special committee as was reflected in the final Chogm statement on Zimbabwe. This is in accordance with our known democratic traditions."
Sadc leaders last confronted the Zimbabwe crisis head-on during the their 2001 summit in Blantyre, Malawi.
During this year's Sadc summit in August held in Tanzania, Zimbabwe did not feature on the agenda despite the continued political and economic problems which have directly affected some member states in the group.
Mogae has maintained a consistent stance on Zimbabwe, calling for the restoration of the rule of law while blasting the Mugabe administration for wrecking the economy. This is in direct conflict with President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and other Sadc leaders' preferred soft stance in dealing with Mugabe.
Pretoria, which is now flexing its muscles across the continent, is believed to have suppressed the Zimbabwe issue during the African Union summit in Maputo in July.
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