Botswana Begins Repatriating Mugabe-Era Refugees Back to Zimbabwe

Botswana has started repatriating about 300 Zimbabweans who fled the country during the reign of late former president Robert Mugabe. Some have arrived in Zimbabwe's border town of Plumtree from Dukwi Refugee Camp in Botswana, despite concerns that they may face renewed persecution from the current administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Most of the refugees fled Zimbabwe in 2008 after an outbreak of political violence that followed Mugabe's electoral defeat at the hands of late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Mugabe had lost the first round of the presidential poll to his bitter rival before the controversial run-off where he ended up running unopposed after Tsvangirai was forced to pull out due to violence by security forces and ruling party.