Botswana MP urges deportation of Zim bulk shoppers

By Alex Bell
19 November 2008

As Zimbabwe’s chronic food shortages continue to worsen, a Botswana MP has called for a ban on Zimbabweans buying maize-meal in bulk in his own country, accusing them of fuelling food shortages there.

The collapse of the Zimbabwean economy and the ongoing political crisis has seen devastating food shortages in the country. Earlier this year Robert Mugabe’s government succeeded in inflicting more suffering by banning the operations of foreign humanitarian aid agencies during the run up to the second round of voting in June – a ban that was only partially lifted recently. The crash of the Zimbabwe dollar has also seen the ‘dollarisation’ of the economy, with few if any food stuffs available in local currency At the same time, those lucky enough to access foreign currency have been forced to bulk-buy basic food items from neighbouring countries, as limited quantities are available in Zimbabwe.

Debating President Ian Khama’s recent State of the Nation address, Francistown West MP Tshelang Masisi last week said Botswana could not afford to continue ‘feeding’ Zimbabweans when its own people were starving.

“The food situation is a serious source of concern because Zimbabweans hoard maize-meal, which they take to their country at the expense of Botswana,” she said.

Masisi called for the deportation of those Zimbabweans caught buying maize in bulk in Botswana. Since early this year, Zimbabweans have been flocking into the country, not only to seek asylum from political violence and the devastating humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, but also in search of critical food items, including maize-meal.

The debate in the Botswana parliament comes at a time when grain shortages are intensifying throughout the country. Last week, the Famine Early Warning Network (Fewsnet), warned that food shortages in Zimbabwe were set to worsen in the next few months. At the same time the World Food Programme also announced that it was cutting food rations in Zimbabwe after a poor response to an appeal for more donor support.
The United Nations has predicted that at least five million Zimbabweans will face starvation by the beginning of next year. If Botswana goes ahead with the ban on the importation of maize-meal in bulk, it is likely even more Zimbabweans will face starvation.

Meanwhile, Robert Mugabe’s government has allegedly deployed teams of Central Intelligence Organisation agents to Botswana to investigate allegations that the country is training military bandits on behalf of the MDC.

Mugabe’s government recently accused Botswana of training militiamen on behalf of the Morgan Tsvangirai-led party, which defeated ZANU PF in elections held in March. A claim completely denied by both Botswana and the MDC. Mugabe also continues to maintain that the MDC is a front for Western countries, the United Kingdom in particular, which are determined to ‘re-colonise’ Zimbabwe after almost 30 years of independence.