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JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Donald Trump is a controversial topic in Botswana, where the government is worried about severe criticism by a former leader against the US president.
Ian Khama, who stepped down as president in April after a decade in power, opposes the new administration of a country whose reputation of being one of the most stable and Africa's best governed has been examined more closely in recent years. President of the Khama, President Mokgweetsi Masisi, acknowledged last month a wider dispute, saying the political transition in Botswana had not been "as smooth as expected."
Khama was known for his abrupt discussions as president and has not softened him since he left office. The former military commander ridiculed Trump during his appearance at Oxford University in October, claiming that "the immaturity of this man is incredible" and that "he is the worst president America has ever known ".
On Saturday, the Botswana Foreign Ministry said it was concerned about Khama's "derogatory remarks" about Trump in Oxford and at a traditional meeting in Serowe, a town in Botswana where the father of Khama, Seretse, the first president of the country after the independence of Britain in 1966, was born. The fact that Khama used the meeting to "judge the president of another country can be interpreted as an official position of the government," the ministry said in a statement.
While acknowledging that the former president has the right to express his personal opinions, the ministry said that Botswana and the United States had good relations "based on common understanding and mutual respect".
On its website, the US Embbady praises Botswana's democratic record and indicates its priorities, including the fight against HIV and AIDS, cooperation with "one of the most professional armies on the continent" and the support for the fight against wildlife trafficking. This month, the Trump administration announced a sharp refocus of its African strategy to counter what it called the "predatory" practices of China and Russia, and said that the United States would now choose more carefully their African partners.
On Facebook, Khama said he did not pretend to represent the Botswana government when he recently commented on Trump. He said that as president, he had criticized other countries in which poor governance and violations of democratic principles and human rights were occurring.
"The ministry is free to abandon these principles and to ignore the current and past disrespectful tendencies of Donald Trump, which he clearly manifested in the way he spoke some time ago, in the way he referred to to African countries, "said Khama.
He mentioned Trump's comment earlier this year about "insane countries" in Africa, describing it as "insulting and racist".
During his presidency, Khama urged Mugabe to step down as long-time leader of neighboring Zimbabwe, long before Mugabe, 94, was forced to seize power after a military takeover in July. November 2017. In contrast, many African countries refrained from criticizing the Zimbabwean leader. the deterioration of the country during his reign.
The dispute over Khama's remarks about Trump is linked to a tension that Khama's former vice-president, Masisi, said he had tried to resolve through mediation. Masisi did not allow Khama to use public air transport and prevented a former chief of intelligence services from becoming private secretary of Khama, according to media reports in Botswana.
"There is legislation that governs the benefits and rights of former presidents," Masisi said in a speech on the state of the nation in November. "I have no intention of breaking the law."
There is a good chance that Khama will continue to speak. He joined Twitter last month.
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Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris
Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC.
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