Botswana's Khama tells Mugabe to quit, Zimbabweans are suffering
Tuesday November 21 2017
Botswana President Ian Khama has made an impassioned plea to his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe to be sensitive to the wishes of the people of Zimbabwe and resign.
President Khama is the only African leader to speak openly to the 93-year-old leader since the heightened calls for him to step down last week.
Last week, the Botswana leader reminded President Mugabe that they were presidents and not monarchs and had to resign and let others take over.
“My appeal is necessitated by an unprecedented situation currently unfolding in Zimbabwe whereby your own party, Zanu-PF, is calling for your immediate resignation and is in the process of instituting impeachment,” President Khama wrote Tuesday in an open letter posted on the Botswana Government’s official Facebook Page.
He added: “The people of Zimbabwe have for a long time been subjected to untold suffering as a result of poor governance under your leadership. It is therefore my conviction that by vacating the presidency, this will usher in a new political dispensation that will pave the way for the much needed socio-economic recovery in Zimbabwe.”
President Khama also wrote that President Mugabe's exit would usher in a new period going forward of unity, peace and prosperity for Zimbabweans.
He also said it will allow the southern African country to be the economic powerhouse it is capable of being.
ALSO READ: Botswana’s Ian Khama to step down next year
Zanu-PF’s Central Committee has voted to strip President Mugabe of his party leadership post, amid nationwide calls for the 93-year-old leader to resign.
On Tuesday, Zanu-PF ministers heeded a party directive to skip the Cabinet meeting and instead attend a party caucus to discuss impeaching President Mugabe.
The ruling party was poised to begin impeachment proceedings against President Mugabe later Tuesday.