Addressing Botswana’s Parliament Foreign Affairs and International
Cooperation minister, Phandu Skelemani hinted on the possible
development telling the Assembly that if the deal collapses in the next
six months, his government will “go back to square one” by not
recognising Mugabe as president nor his government.
“Consequent to this allegation, Botswana was shocked by the baseless
and absurd charges that were levelled at Botswana by authorities in
Zimbabwe at the extraordinary meeting of the Interstate Defence and
Security Committee of the Organ Troika held in Maputo on November 5
2008.
“The allegations that the government of Botswana would wish to train
foreign nationals on its territory to effect regime change is
ridiculous and all who are aware of Botswana’s longstanding commitment
to the principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference in the
internal affairs of others, and peaceful resolution of disputes in our
region and elsewhere would no doubt attest to this,” Skelemani said.
Meanwhile state media in Zimbabwe is reporting that a draft of the
Constitutional Amendment Number 19 Bill has been completed and has been
sent to the facilitator, former South African president Thabo Mbeki’s
legal team.
“Draft Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 19 has been completed and
sent to the mediator in South Africa after scrutiny by the parties
concerned,” ZANU PF’s Sikhanyiso Ndlovu reportedly told church leaders
on Monday.
However Ndlovu claimed that Mugabe has appoint a Cabinet first before the Bill is passed in Parliament.
“Constitutional Amendment Number 19 cannot be done right away without a
Cabinet. The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Ministry is with the
MDC-T and the minister must steer the Bill at all the stages. A Bill
cannot go to Parliament if it is not approved by Cabinet,” Ndlovu said.
Zimbabwe Metro