Botswana boycotts SADC

SADC logo

Botswana’s President Khama stayed away from the recent summit meeting of the Southern African Development Community because Robert Mugabe was attending, and Botswana does not recognize his government. This increases pressure on the SADC to deal with the Zimbabwe political situation But there are also rumors that President Khama is motivated by an interest in hosting AFRICOM. Of course some of these reports come from Zimbabwe as a counter move against Botswana’s boycott. From Kenya’s The Nation:

The Herald newspaper, a [Zimbabwean] government mouthpiece, claimed that the main reason Botswana boycotted the summit was because it wanted to pull out of the regional grouping on the orders of the United States.

Mbeki has been brokering a deal during the course of the SADC summit to work out some sort of compromise government in Zimbabwe. They did not achieve anything at the summit, but Mbeki intends to go to Harare later this week and continue his efforts. I found the observations of Sentletse Diakanyo interesting:

It may perhaps be appropriate to examine what could be motivating Ian Khama to remain stubborn when the political landscape in Zimbabwe is shifting. Botswana has very close and historic ties with Britain and we can not be certain of the influence that 10 Downing Street still exerts in its former protectorate. Europe is Botswana’s largest trading partner; over 70% of export trade is directed to Europe. It would not be surprising if Botswana was acting to protect its own economic interests and not to offend the position taken by Britain. After all, it is bad manners to bite the hand that feeds you.

Where does the US fit in to all this? In 1980, Botswana entered into a training agreement with US military — a commitment that it has sustained over the years. To date the development of the Botswana military has been sustained primarily through contributions from the US.

Botswana had also recently expressed interest in hosting Africa Command (Africom), when the rest of the SADC countries were hostile to the idea of the US establishing military bases on their soil … Not only did Botswana express its interest, it went further and signed in 2003, under controversial circumstances, the so-called Status-of-Force Agreement (SOFA), a non-surrender pact defining the legal standing of US soldiers stationed abroad.

…

Maintaining the military support received from the US is important to Botswana and Ian Khama, as a former army commander. Botswana, with a population of a mere 1.8 million, does not have sufficient men in boots to defend itself in case of a military threat. It would appear that Khama does not want to be seen to be showing the Bush Administration a middle finger.

It may after all be a strategic rather than a principled position by Khama to boycott the SADC meeting, confident in the knowledge that a solution will definitely be found; while appeasing his masters and maintaining continued military support, as well as sustaining Botswana’s economic relationship with Europe.

I doubt a truly workable deal will be reached in Zimbabwe anytime soon. But that does not necessarily negate the speculations about Botswana, its ties to the US, and potential for cooperation with AFRICOM.

This boycott was a real change from Botswana’s foreign policy in the past, which generally was something along the lines of hear, speak, or say no evil about any country.

b real Says:

August 22, 2008 at 10:26 pm

it’s unfortunate that the late president of zambia, mwanawasa, suffered his debilitating stroke on the eve of a tense SADC meetup immediately following the elections in zim — and drawing a major spotlight as mugabe’s first appearance after retaining his presidency — especially after having acknowledged earlier that he was being pressured by the west to expel zim from that bloc, further isolating zanu-pf.

granted, mwanawasa wasn’t necessarily the most fit individual, but it does make you wonder just how much pressure he was under that weekend & what role that played in his death

on khama, this ran in friday’s daily nation

Is Botswana’s new leader hero or dictator?

When evaluating Khama’s first 100 days in power last month, journalist Rebaone Odirile of the Guardian/Midweek Sun group argued that the new president might turn into just another typical African leader with a passion to limit and control platforms from where the public can freely question him.

Thapelo Ndlovu, the head of Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Botswana chapter suggested that by clouding the line that separates the party and government, a situation is being created under Khama’s leadership where accountability and democratic governance would be relegated to the dark ages and authoritarian rule will creep into Botswana’s “enviable democracy”.

Recently, one of the vocal ruling party MPs, Botsalo Ntuane, said that Botswana’s democracy was at risk and soon, the people will be told when to eat and sleep and what to wear.

…and say

However, he was made to withdraw the statement and apologise.

…

University of Botswana lecturer and political commentator Log Raditlhokwa, says Khama has become too powerful, a mere four months after succeeding Festus Mogae as Botswana’s fourth president.

“The President, due to his popularity has become an institution within the state. He has become too powerful,” Raditlhokwa told the annual conference on African economic policy in Gaborone on Tuesday.

Opposition politician Diphetogo Maswabi of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) recently captured Khama’s unique position in Botswana politics by arguing that he is so far the most powerful of the country’s four presidents.

“He is an imperial president, chief of a powerful ethnic group and son of the country’s first president. He is therefore more powerful than he can conjure,” Maswabi wrote in the weekly Botswana Guardian.

Recently, BCP awarded Khama zero in democracy saying he is a major threat to the country’s democratic credentials. BCP president Gilshon Saleshando says that Khama is ruling the country by decree.

can’t say we didn’t see this one coming. a very strange situation in botswana – considering the man wasn’t elected into any office & is now running the country

xcroc Says:

August 24, 2008 at 3:35 pm

I was quite saddened to hear of the death of Mwanawasa. I hope his legacy can be continued, or at least not betrayed. I hope US pressure did not contribute to his stroke, but I would not be surprised if it did. The US can be very heavy handed, especially these days.

You are right about seeing this coming in Botswana. With Khama’s career and background, it is unlikely he has any notion about what democracy means. And even for people who understand and believe in democracy, democracy can be a bitch. It is not possible to control outcomes if you are actually practicing democracy. And Khama’s military background, and from what I’ve read of his approach to problems, he has a strong desire to control outcomes, and remains uniquely unsuited to running a democracy. Controlling outcomes is what the military is about. I wonder how long he will stay popular. And what happens when people accustomed to democracy become unhappy and disillusioned with him? If AFRICOM is there, what role will it play relative to Botswanan democracy? The US record on promoting democracy is not good and has lost respect everywhere outside the US.

That Botsalo Ntuane “was made to withdraw the statement and apologise” for saying “Botswana’s democracy was at risk and soon, the people will be told when to eat and sleep and what to wear” is a very bad sign. And as you point out, he, and by extension all Botswanan citizens, are being told what to say.

I also noted on the Mother Jones interactive map, mission creep that they noted Botswana may be a future HQ of AFRICOM. Rumors are getting around.

August 24, 2008 at 3:52 pm

One of my sentences above isn’t really a sentence. But I think the meaning is still reasonably clear.

I forgot to mention an article from Nourial Roubini’s site Social Origins of the American Corporate Predator State. A friend sent it to me, and it is worth a look if you haven’t seen it already.

Crossed Crocodiles