Government denies tensions with Botswana

Zimbabwe on Monday said a decision to recall its high commissioner to Botswana was part of a broader government reshuffle and had nothing to do with President Festus Mogae's recent criticism of the country's political and economic policies. "A number of ambassadors have been affected by the changes and reports suggesting that the commissioner in Gaborone was recalled because of some kind of worsening relationship between Zimbabwe and Botswana is simply not true," political counsellor at Zimbabwe's High Commission in Botswana, Tamuka Muranga told IRIN. But one analyst said Mogae's comments would have certainly angered Zimbabwean authorities and the removal of High Commissioner, Zenso Nsimbi, from Gaborone was evidence of that. Last month Mogae told the London-based African Business magazine that Zimbabwe's deepening political crisis was due to a "drought of good governance". "Mogae is the only African president who has publicly raised concern over the political upheavals in Zimbabwe. By recalling the high commissioner from Botswana, President Robert Mugabe certainly wants to send a clear message to Gaborone that Harare will not tolerate criticism," a senior researcher at the Institute of Security Studies Chris Maroleng said. Meanwhile, the Botswana Guardian reported that Nsimbi had been recalled following his inaction regarding complaints that Zimbabweans fleeing economic hardships in their country were being ill treated by Botswana authorities. Responding to the accusations, Mogae was quoted as saying: "This is a humanitarian crisis. We are trying to handle it as humanely as possible. But within the limits of our capacity, of our resources. We have no choice." Maroleng said Nsimbi's replacement would certainly be a "ZANU-PF hardliner, somebody who could be tougher when it comes to defending the government's human rights record abroad". "It is unlikely that there would be total breakdown in diplomatic relations between Zimbabwe and Botswana as there are diplomatic channels through which these tensions can be discussed. But what Mogae's comments makes clear is that not all African leaders support what is going on in Zimbabwe," Maroleng said.