Mugabe Botswana trip causes stir

Botswana was yesterday forced to deny reports that President Robert Mugabe was snubbed by his Sadc deputy Ian Khama who was not at the Sir Senetse International Airport to receive him and local media reports had suggested that Khama had decided not to welcome Mugabe.

There have been reports of a rift between the two leaders blamed on Mugabe's human rights record.

Prior to Mugabe's arrival, Botswana's Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation minister Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi condemned what she termed a deliberate intent by some media houses to create animosity and tensions between Botswana and Zimbabwe.

She said she was disturbed by reports that Mugabe was not accorded an honour befitting a Head of State.

Mugabe's visit, Venson-Moitoi said, was not a State visit, hence no guard of honour at the airport and hoisting of flags on street poles along Gaborone roads.

The Foreign Affairs minister, not Khama, welcomed Mugabe at the airport since the Zimbabwean leader was on a work-related mission, not State visit.

Mugabe, the Sadc Chairman is in Botswana for a tour of the regional body's headquarters, the first such visit since he assumed office last August.

He was met at Seretse Khama International Airport by Botswana Foreign Affairs Minister Pelonomi Venson Moitoi, Sadc Executive Secretary Stergomena Lawrence Tax and Ambassador Joey Bimha and other senior government officials, also by scores of Zimbabweans youths based there who broke into song and dance praising him as an able leader who made Zimbabwe and the rest of the continent proud.