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Botswana parliamentarians have unequivocally expressed their opposition to the proposed removal of passports for travel between their country and Zimbabwe. The leader of opposition, Dithapelo Keorapetse said it was surprising that the deal was announced without due consultations.
Botswana’s government has dismissed allegations that it plans to arrest and kill exiled former President Ian Khama if he returned home. In an interview last week, Mr Khama told the AFP news agency that he had information about plans to arrest and poison him upon arriving home from South Africa, where he has been living in exile since 2021.
Zimbabweans could soon be entering Botswana without their passports and only using their national identity cards (IDs) if proposals by that country’s president Mokgweetsi Masisi are implemented.
The Namibian and Botswana governments have agreed to abolish the use of passports for travel between the two countries. Instead, citizens of the two countries will now use identity cards.
The opposition Botswana Congress Party has warned President Mokgweetsi Masisi for supporting Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party and its leader Emmerson Mnangagwa while on a state visit. “President Masisi’s attempt to absolve Zanu-PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the Zimbabwean crisis is not only an affront and insult to the suffering people of Zimbabwe, but it is also an attempt to revise history in the most deceptive way. It is similar to convincing us that Idi Amin was an honorable man,” the BCP said.
Hard lockdown regulations in Botswana will continue until the first week of May, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said on Monday.
Botswana, home to the world’s largest elephant population, on Friday was set to hold a major auction for big game hunters to kill 70 elephants, the first since scrapping a hunting ban last year.
A Botswana ruling party member has claimed to have taken part in vote rigging during the October election that allowed President Mokgweetsi Masisi to win a five-year term.
Botswana’s former President Ian Khama has hit back against corruption allegations, vowing to sue a lead investigator for defamation after he accused the ex-leader of syphoning-off billions in state funds.
Botswana’s president announced on Monday the government will by December start issuing trophy hunting licences after it controversially scrapped a five-year ban on the practice, and angered international conservationists.