In a hard-hitting editorial, New Era, whose views are meant to reflect
the thinking of the Namibian government, said that Botswana's call for
complete closure of borders with Zimbabwe was 'foolhardy', adding that
'brazen advocacy for regime change could escalate tension between the
two countries.
The Namibia state owned daily said that Botswana's behaviour amounted
to a' declaration of war through other means against its northern
neighbour.'
Botswana, which has toughened its stance against the Harare regime,
made headlines after it called for total isolation of the Robert
Mugabe-led government.
Botswana foreign minister Pandu Skelemani has said that Botswana is
ready to offer opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai a haven to set
up 'democratic resistance movement'.
New Era said that the statement was an 'apparent code phrase for a
military project', adding that Botswana could express its displeasure
with Harare without being 'arrogant and pompous'.
Skelemani said Mugabe's government would collapse in a matter of weeks
should the region abruptly cut Harare out of all its circuits.
Harare has not responded to Botswana's statements.
Mind your language
Open advocacy for regime change raises the bar and could lead to open
hostility between the two countries. Botswana should therefore be told
to mind its language on Zimbabwe, the paper said, adding that Botswana
was not a 'regional policeman'.
Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF has been battling to unlock a logjam on the
15 September power-sharing deal with main opposition party MDC.
Media reports this week said that both parties had agreed to
Constitutional Amendment 19, which would pave way for a government of
national unity.
Botswana-Zimbabwe vs Rwanda-DRC
Botswana should not become to Zimbabwe what Rwanda is to the
Democratic Republic of Congo. Other SADC members have to put Gaborone
on notice about the dangers of its political posturing and growing
demagoguery, New Era said.
The paper bemoaned what it called leadership deficit in the region,
saying that Botswana's power play was being encouraged by 'political
dormancy of key power brokers in the region'.
It is clear SADC has a leadership deficit. SADC's strong men were
Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Augustinho Neto, Samora Machel, Sam
Nujoma and Oliver Tambo.
These are becoming a rare species in a region that once held hope for Africa.
Botswana, the New Era said, was failing to read the sign on the wall.
Why did Botswana maintain open borders with Ian Smith and white
supremacists in South Africa in the 1960s and 70s. Why did they not
call for border closures. Is the sin more the colour of Mugabe or what?
The paper also claimed that Zimbabwe would retaliate ferociously
against foreign intervention. Zimbabwe maybe a tired and wounded tiger
but that makes it even more dangerous.