Zimbabwe accuses Botswana of training insurgents

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By MacDonald Dzirutwe

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has accused Botswana of training opposition insurgents to oust President Robert Mugabe, state media said Monday, increasing tensions between the neighbours and adding to doubts over a power-sharing deal.

Botswana's President Ian Khama is one of few African leaders to publicly criticise Mugabe. He has called for new elections after Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai reached deadlock over posts in a shared administration.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told the official Herald newspaper the government had evidence Botswana was giving military training to members of Tsvangirai's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as part of a plot to remove Mugabe.

Zimbabwe's opposition dismissed the accusations. There was no immediate comment from Botswana.

"Botswana has availed its territory, material and logistical support to MDC-T for the recruitment and military training of youths for the eventual destabilisation of the country with a view of effecting illegal regime change," Chinamasa said.

"We now have evidence that while they (MDC) were talking peace they have been preparing for war and insurgency, as well as soliciting the West to invade our country on the pretext of things like cholera," said Chinamasa.

A cholera epidemic that has killed around 800 people and Zimbabwe's economic meltdown have drawn new calls from Mugabe's Western foes for the resignation of the 84-year-old leader, who has ruled since independence in 1980.

Prospects for rescuing Zimbabwe appear slim while Mugabe and Tsvangirai remain deadlocked over their September 15 power-sharing deal.

NEW ELECTION?

State media said at the weekend that Zimbabwe might be forced to hold a new election if a constitutional bill to set up the new government failed to get through parliament, where Mugabe's ZANU-PF party lost its majority in March.

The MDC said it was ready to take part in any new election, but only if held under international supervision. Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the first round of a presidential vote but withdrew from a run-off, citing attacks on his supporters.

Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa dismissed Chinamasa's charges that the MDC was preparing an insurgency, saying Mugabe was trying to distract attention from growing foreign pressure and looking for an excuse to crack down on the opposition.

"How do you overthrow a non existing government?" Chamisa said. "They are setting the stage for an unprecedented onslaught on the opposition. Each time ZANU-PF is cornered they come up with all sorts of concoctions and fabrications."

Mugabe's government says the cholera outbreak is a calculated attack by former colonial ruler Britain and the United States, describing it as "biological warfare" to create an excuse to mobilise military action against Zimbabwe.

Chinamasa said the evidence against Botswana was now being handled by the Southern African Development Community regional group, which has been trying to push Mugabe and Tsvangirai to implement their September 15 power-sharing deal.

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