Botswana calls for election re-run in Zimbabwe

Botswana has called for a re-run of Zimbabwean presidential election and strongly condemned the failure to issue Zimbabwean opposition leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai with a passport as a show of bad faith by President Robert Mugabe.

“This is unfortunate, totally unacceptable and an indication of bad faith,” the Botswana Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement. The statement called for a re-run of the Zimbabwean presidential election to resolve the power-sharing deadlock in the crisis torn-country.

It said the only viable solution to the Zimbabwe crisis is to let the people decide who their true leaders should be. “In this regard, the only way forward in Zimbabwe is a re-run of the presidential election under international supervision to avoid a repetition of the violence and political intimidation that characterised the failed June 27, 2008 presidential run-off,” the statement said.

It added that Botswana president Ian Khama has informed SADC chairman and South African president Mr Kgalema Motlanthe, AU chairman and Tanzania president Mr Jakaya Kikwete and UN secretary general, Mr Ban-Ki Moon about the need for a re-run and international intervention in Zimbabwe. Botswana feels that the socio-political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe threatens regional peace, stability and development and could only increase the current suffering of Zimbabweans.

The statement from the Botswana Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country is disappointed by the failure of political parties in Zimbabwe to agree on power-sharing deal. The statement said the stalemate has been caused by “one party seeking to dominate seeking to dominate power cannot” and this cannot go unchallenged.

The spokesman of the Botswana Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Clifford Maribe told the Nation that his country will continue with its tough stance on Zimbabwe if the power-sharing deal does not work.

“It should be understood that our position is informed by the fact that we wish for the people of Zimbabwe what we wish for ourselves. We, therefore, cannot stand aside and watch silently as our neighbours, relatives and fellow human beings suffer abuse at the hands of those who are supposed to protect them. We also take this stand out of concern that further deterioration of the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe threatens regional peace, stability and economic development,” Mr Maribe said.

He added that the power sharing deal provided the parties with an opportunity to resolve their differences and set Zimbabwe on a path of national reconciliation, economic reconstruction and recovery. “Unfortunately the deadlock over how cabinet posts should be divided among the three parties has stalled this process. This is a disturbing development which cannot be ignored as further delay in forming a government and implementing the power-sharing agreement can only increase the plight of the people of Zimbabwe,” Maribe added.

He stated that Botswana currently hosts, at a great expense to its national budget, thousands of Zimbabwean nationals who are driven into neighbouring countries by the situation in their country. “This situation cannot be allowed to go on unchallenged,” he said.

Mr Maribe dismissed fears in some quarters that Zimbabwe might take retaliatory measures against Botswana for its tough stance against Mr Mugabe’s regime. Zimbabwe is Botswana’s second biggest trading partner behind South Africa. Botswana’s gets some of its power from Mozambique through a line running through Zimbabwe. Any disruptions on this supply usually causes problems in Botswana.

However, Mr Maribe does not see Zimbabwe doing anything to sabotage Botswana. “Zimbabwe desperately needs assistance from the international community of which Botswana is a member. All we want is a peaceful, stable and economically prosperous Zimbabwe which can play its rightful role in increasing intra-SADC trade, economic cooperation and regional integration,” he said.