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Zimbabwe: Botswana plotting coup
Bob finds another boogie man. Which, lucky for him, appears to be a pushover.Zimbabwe has accused Botswana of being involved in a plot to overthrow President Robert Mugabe's government. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told state media they have "compelling evidence" Botswana was hosting military training camps for opposition rebels. He said Botswana was helping recruit youths to destabilise and bring about illegal regime change in Zimbabwe.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretary General Tomaz Salamao says his organisation is now analysing documents and videos that have been given to them by the Zimbabwean authorities, reports the BBC's Jonah Fisher. Observers say it is the first time that such openly hostile relations have emerged among any of the 15 SADC members. Botswana's President Ian Khama is one of the few African leaders to have publicly criticised Mr Mugabe. He has called for new elections after Mr Mugabe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai reached deadlock in power-sharing negotiations. Mr Chinamasa told the state-owned Herald newspaper: "Botswana has availed its territory, material and logistical support to [the MDC] for the recruitment and military training of youths for the eventual destabilisation of the country with a view of effecting illegal regime change. We now have evidence that while [the MDC] were talking peace they have been preparing for war and insurgency, as well as soliciting the West to invade our country on the pretext of things like cholera." He claimed the opposition was "bent on foisting war on the country and the region" and warned Botswana of dire consequences. Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa dismissed the minister's claims saying: "When a leopard starts devouring its young ones, it starts by accusing that young one of smelling like a goat." The justice minister's allegation comes a day after the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee, accused Mr Mugabe of "criminal negligence" and warned Zimbabwe was becoming a failed state. Writing in South Africa's Sunday Times newspaper, Mr McGee said: "What is the Mugabe regime doing? It is buying hundreds of cars so that every minister and governor can have multiple vehicles. It is buying plasma televisions for judges. Instead of spending scarce resources on water purification chemicals that might stop the cholera epidemic, they are manipulating currency to make a personal profit." Mr Mugabe last week sparked uproar by claiming the cholera outbreak was over in Zimbabwe, while Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said the outbreak was the result of biological warfare launched by former colonial power Britain against Zimbabwe. Posted by: tu3031 2008-12-15 |
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