Kitsepile Nyathi
5 November 2008
Harare — Zimbabwe has described Botswana's calls for a fresh presidential election to solve the country's long running political crisis 'extreme' provocation as tension continues to build ahead of a regional summit this weekend to discuss the stalled power sharing agreement.
Botswana's outspoken President Seretse Ian Khama on Monday called for an internationally supervised re-run of the presidential election in Zimbabwe as "one viable way forward" to get the nation out of its current political crisis.
He was speaking ahead of the extra-ordinary Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in South Africa on Sunday to discuss the stalled power sharing agreement between President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu PF and the two faction factions of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Mr Mugabe, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, the main MDC leader who is also the Prime Minister designate and Professor Arthur Mutambara of the small faction of the opposition party on September 15 signed an agreement to set up an all inclusive government.
But the implementation of the deal has been stalled by disagreements over the allocation of key cabinet posts.
Mr Khama who has refused to endorse Mr Mugabe's violent re-election was accused of trying to interfere in the neighbouring country's internal affairs.
"The statement he has made to his country is an extreme provocation to Zimbabwe," Mr Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs said.
"He has no right under international law as an individual or country to interfere in our domestic affairs.
"Elections are the prerogative of Zimbabweans and when they are ready to be held is a matter of our constitution.
"Similarly, whether elections are validly conducted it's the matter, which will be determined by our judiciary in accordance with the constitution and electoral laws."
Botswana says a fresh election will solve President Mugabe's legitimacy crisis and would set an example of democracy in Africa.
"We strongly believe that the one viable way forward in Zimbabwe is to have a rerun of the presidential election under full international sponsorship," Mr Khama said in his 2008 State of the Nation address to parliament. "That way, a repeat of the past run-off presidential election, which was declared by regional and international observers to be neither free nor fair and was characterised by intimidation and violence, can be avoided.
"It should be unacceptable for ruling parties to seek to manipulate election outcomes to extend their stay in power, as this is bad for democracy on our continent."
Sunday's meeting will be the third attempt by the regional body to save the power sharing agreement viewed as Zimbabwe's only way out of the devastating economic and humanitarian crisis.
The heads of state of Mozambique, Swaziland and Angola, who form the SADC's security committee and the Zimbabwean political parties, last week failed to secure a breakthrough in talks on the formation of a cabinet.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 The Nation. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
"The statement he has made to his country is an extreme provocation to Zimbabwe," Mr Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs said. Chinamasa talking of Khama the president of Botswana. I would want to ask Chinamasa if forging the agreement document that heads of state witnessed was not provocation to the extreme of their intelligence as well as rendering them as useless people easily conned? Chinamasa should be aware that Zimbabweans were denied the right to have a leader of their choice in the March election. The presidential votes took 5 weeks to count less than 6 million votes and that defied all logic. Indeed that was a con game which should not be allowed to happen again This is why Khama is advocating for an internationally supervised election not con games.
Mugabe s reaction shows that he is very afraid of a third election which he might not be able to fraud. Yet his own intransigence has created this situation. Just to make sure that he cannot cheat let Sadcc use a voting system which cannot be frauded. Mr alex weir. Harare
But then how do you handle the blatant intimidation by the ZANU PF ?
This unelected,disgusting figure called Khama should leave our nation alone...Zimbabwe is an independent and sovereign nation that will never tolerate external interference from any quarter...Well,the coolness and calm that President R.G Mugabe has maintained ever since Khama launched his vicious attacks on Zim underscores the deep gulf that exists between an experienced revolutionary statesman like President R.G Mugabe and a pathetic numbskull like Khama...Elections in Zim are a prerogative of ONLY Zimbabweans...They are held in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the nation.,which will thus determine whether they're valid or not..Thus Khama please shut your bucket..Vhara gaba rako Khama!!! Khama is making a complete idiot of himself as the rest of SADC leaders chose to ignore his nonsensical tirades...
Anyway, it is widely believed that the Western sponsored stooge Tsvangi travelled to Botswana on the ETD on monday and he's believed to have crossed into South Africa on Tuesday...The same stooge who refused to use the same etd to travel to Swaziland...The widespread orgy of violence orchestrated by MDC-T , white farmers and selous scouts against Zanu pf supporters in the aftermath of the March elections failed dismally to break the people's revolution, that's why Khama is embittered...Khama's unholly alliance with the stooge Tsvangi is disgusting....Khama should back off because he's violating international law by his shameless inteference into our internal affairs...
The only numbskull is you Mbihazia, I think the illness has affected your mind. Khama is a great statesman and not a terrorist who never fought in a battle like the half Malawian President , Mugabe. When his(Khama) country is having to contend with poor Zimbabweans fleeing there every day for help he has a right to speak up. When Mugabe disgraces Afrika with his evil ways, Khama has a right to speak up again and make it clear not all of us Afrikans are greedy fools. The only stooge here is not Tsvingarai, it is you. You are a stooge for the despot Mugabe , too afraid to really say what a mess he and his other stooges like you have made in Zimbabwe. He betrayed the trust we placed in him and robbed all Zimbabweans of they dignity and pride and you are like an Mfazi, too scared to speak out against his bad ways, at least the woman of Zimbabwe have the courage to speak , you don't ! You are afraid of ending up in Chikarubi ! Ishe Komberera Afrika ! Hang it up Mbilhazia , nobody on this esteemed forum other than a few more of your numbskull stooges respects your worthless comments, we all recognise a scared mfane.
This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.
Hi there!
Comrade Mabhiza talking about international law....please, give me a break!
See all comments (193).
Active Discussions: Botswana Calls for New Election in Zimbabwe