Khama blasts Mnangagwa over CAB3

Former Botswana president Ian Khama has launched a scathing attack on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zimbabwe's proposed Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), accusing the Zimbabwean leader of attempting to extend his stay in power through constitutional manipulation.

Khama said Zimbabwe was joining a growing list of African countries where leaders seek to prolong their rule by amending constitutions and weakening democratic safeguards.

"Here we go again. Another power-hungry president has the constitution amended through rigging and cash inducements to extend his term of office," Khama said.

"Zimbabwe has now become the latest in a growing list of countries whose presidents want to cling to power and manipulate the constitution to achieve that."

The former Botswana leader cited several long-serving African presidents as examples, including Paul Biya, who has been in power for more than four decades, Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for nearly 40 years, and Paul Kagame, who has been at the helm of Rwanda for more than two decades.

Khama warned that prolonged rule often leads to the erosion of democratic institutions and civil liberties.

"Political assassinations, fabricated charges and detentions, kidnappings and disappearances" had become common features of governments led by what he described as leaders determined to retain power at all costs, he said.

Drawing parallels with Zimbabwe's political history, Khama argued that citizens had endured decades of repression and political turmoil.

"Zimbabweans have experienced this pattern from the days of Gukurahundi to the present day," he said.

His remarks come as Zimbabwe advances Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, one of the most contentious legislative proposals in recent years.

Supporters of the Bill argue that it is designed to strengthen governance structures, improve political stability and ensure continuity in national development programmes. Critics, however, contend that it could fundamentally alter Zimbabwe's democratic framework and entrench executive power.

The Bill recently passed through the National Assembly after securing the required two-thirds majority and is now awaiting debate in the Senate.

Khama has long been one of the most outspoken regional critics of Zimbabwe's leadership.

During his tenure as Botswana's president between 2008 and 2018, he frequently challenged the administration of former president Robert Mugabe, calling for democratic reforms and expressing concern over disputed elections and governance issues.

Following the military-assisted transition that removed Mugabe from power in 2017, Khama publicly urged the veteran leader to step down and later continued to scrutinise developments under Mnangagwa's administration.

In recent years, he has described ZANU-PF as a "brutal" ruling party and has called for stronger regional responses to allegations of democratic backsliding and electoral irregularities in Zimbabwe.

Khama's criticism carries added weight because he voluntarily left office in 2018 after completing Botswana's constitutionally prescribed two-term limit, a move often cited as an example of democratic succession in the region.

Since leaving office, the former Botswana leader has remained active in regional political debates while maintaining a strained relationship with his successor and spending significant periods in South Africa.

His latest comments are likely to intensify debate around CAB3 as Zimbabwe's Senate prepares to consider the proposed constitutional changes, which have become one of the most polarising political issues in the country.