Harare — Zimbabwe launched a scathing attack on Botswana Saturday after the neighbouring country boycotted a regional summit to protest against President Robert Mugabe whose government Botswana considers 'illegitimate".
The long-running Zimbabwean crisis was expected to loom large at the ongoing South African Development Community (SADC) in South Africa where Mugabe will come under pressure from his peers to cede executive powers to his main rival.
Mugabe's re-election
Botswana's President Ian Khama is not attending the summit because his government does not recognise Mugabe's re-election.
Mugabe ran alone in the June 27 presidential run-off election after the main contender and Opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out citing state-sponsored violence against his supporters.
The poll was condemned around the world and criticised by regional election observers. The 14-member SADC urged Zimbabwe's leaders to forge an inclusive government.
The Herald newspaper, a government mouthpiece, claimed that the main reason Botswana boycotted the summit was because it wanted to pull out of the regional grouping on the orders of the United States.
Referring to President Khama's government as a "military junta", the paper said Botswana desperately wanted to host the US's African Military Command (Africom) against a SADC resolution rejecting proposals to set up the base in the region.
"It has emerged that there is more to the Botswana military junta's planned boycott of the SADC summit than the alleged protest over President Mugabe's legitimacy and attendance," the paper claimed quoting unnamed sources in the neighbouring country's government.
"Sources in Botswana say the reason for the planned boycott is that the junta is considering pulling out of SADC as a prelude to hosting the Africom. Zimbabwe, they say, happens to be a convenient scapegoat for getting out of the block that has drawn the line on accommodating Africom."
Botswana has taken the toughest stand among Zimbabwe's neighbours against Mugabe's government and there are fears of escalating tensions between the two countries if the political crisis drags on.
The diamond-rich country is the host to the SADC headquarters and by boycotting the summit it would ratchet pressure on the regional group to deal more decisively with Harare.
Millions of Zimbabweans have already fled across the borders, with a number of them crossing into Botswana to escape the world's highest inflation, widespread unemployment, and chronic shortages of food and fuel.
Last week, Botswana deported a former political editor of the Herald newspaper employed at the University of Botswana accusing him of abetting Mugabe's rule.
Deportation
The deportation angered the Zimbabwean government, which said it was illegal and a violation of human rights.
Early this year, the Zimbabwean government accused Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa of taking orders from Western countries after he called a special SADC summit to discuss the political crisis in the country.
Mwanawasa, SADC'S outgoing chairperson, will be succeeded by South African President Thabo Mbeki at the helm of the organisation.
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Ungrateful Mugabe towards Botswana!
How much did Botswana helped the guerilla movements to operate from behind its borders to make life untenable to the minority government? And which led to the Malborough talks!
Shame on Mugabe to criticize Botswana today when it's on the same question of respecting the will of the majority that drives Botswana to denounce lunatic Mugabe! A paranoiac Mugabe as described by Tsvangirai and who entertains a permanent fear that the enemy (the West) is even scheming to scroll under his bed to attempt on his miserable life! Ah! the West? the root cause of all his misfortunes?
Lunatic Mugabe has just to lead a war against the West and milk and honey will restart flowing in abundance in Zimbabwe!
The murderer must not forget the the Zimbabwe Exile Forum (ZEF)is actively setting up branches all around the world in countries that have welcome them with open arms while running away from the terror of Mugabe. Tsvangirai who is at the talks under duress can only protect the murderer inside Zimbabwe. The days are not far when ZEF will take good care of the bloodstained lunatic to answer to all the crimes he and his thugs have committed. Tsvangirai or no Tsvangirai, the wheel of justice for Mugabe has started turning. Would he next on the list after Chad's Déby just condemned to death?
You are a confused Dreamer. Please keep on dreaming. Your friends can open thousands of branches of whatever and grow old there. But Gt Zim will be going on ... Aluta continua !! as Machel would cry out.
Ah , Ah, Ah , how I have longed to hear those sacred words "Aluta Continua. Yes Machel did cry out alot ! Are you sure it is ok for a common man like yourself to use those words ?
"Author: prem Ungrateful Mugabe towards Botswana!
How much did Botswana helped the guerilla movements to operate from behind its borders to make life untenable to the minority government? And which led to the Malborough talks!
Shame on Mugabe to criticize Botswana today when it's on the same question of respecting the will of the majority that drives Botswana to denounce lunatic Mugabe! A paranoiac Mugabe as described by Tsvangirai and who entertains a permanent fear that the enemy (the West) is even scheming to scroll under his bed to attempt on his miserable life! Ah! the West? the root cause of all his misfortunes?
Lunatic Mugabe has just to lead a war against the West and milk and honey will restart flowing in abundance in Zimbabwe!
The murderer must not forget the the Zimbabwe Exile Forum (ZEF)is actively setting up branches all around the world in countries that have welcome them with open arms while running away from the terror of Mugabe. Tsvangirai who is at the talks under duress can only protect the murderer inside Zimbabwe. The days are not far when ZEF will take good care of the bloodstained lunatic to answer to all the crimes he and his thugs have committed. Tsvangirai or no Tsvangirai, the wheel of justice for Mugabe has started turning. Would he next on the list after Chad's Déby just condemned to death?"
Lunatic Prem, One cannot let all your hysterical posts go unchallenged. First of all the "help" that Botswana gave the Zimbabwean liberation movement was long ago and under the leadership of Seretse Khama, not his American-trained son Ian Khama (note the difference in first names to get some understanding). Therefore His Excellency Robert Mugabe has every right to criticize the current regime in Botswana if he finds that it conducting itself in a way that harms the interest of African people in the region. To your second point, only a fool could not see that the West has been trying to get rid of Mr. Mugabe since 1997. About your latest heroes ZEF, who funds them, the West? They would better serve their country by convincing their sponsors to lift the devastating sanctions and stop interfering in the internal affairs of Zimbabwe. Whatever the case, I would think that their chances of having any impact on Mr. Mugabe and his party are small and none. Thus another of your hopes goes crashing to the floor. But not to worry, you'll still have allAfrica message boards on which to vent.
Hahaha!! dear djoser35! Thanks for making me laugh for a while! Only for a while because the bleedings of the majority of Zimbabweans are of greater concern to African democrats!
Murderer Mugabe promoting African interests? How? By putting up against the West? You believe so? OR by murdering his opponents? Or by running a sham election after sending millions of your terrorised brothers and sisters to neighbouring countries as refugees??
Lunatic is what one can describe your own real state of mind! You want to continue in the illusion of being a billionaire and yet destitute?
Beware! You cannot reproach us one day. Tsvangirai and the MDCs can offer pardon to Mugabe and thugs, but only valid in Zimbabwe. The ZEF will sure bring him and co to a criminal court in a host country - you like it or not! Should I recall Pinochet's fate?
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