HARARE – Botswana’s former President Ian Khama says he regrets attending the inauguration of Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa, accusing him of making empty promises.

Zimbabweans say life is worse under Mnangagwa, who toppled former leader Robert Mugabe with the help of the military in 2017.

“I was really happy to share the words he (Mnangagwa) expressed at that inauguration about how he planned to take the nation of Zimbabwe forward. Coming away from that event, I thought to myself that this is great news and I wished him all the best,” Khama said in a radio interview with Duma FM.

“I saw this as an opportunity for Zimbabwe to break from the past ways of doing things as there were indications that the country will be on the path to prosperity again. Sadly, that part of the letter which hoped that there would be a new dispensation, unfortunately, has not happened and Zimbabweans are saying their situation is now worse than it was under Mugabe.”

Security forces deployed on July 31 to thwart protests against Mnangagwa and his government’s record on corruption and a worsening economic crisis.

Human rights lawyers say authorities have arrested dozens of activists over the planned protests and abducted and tortured others. The government said allegations of human rights abuses were false and there was no crisis in Zimbabwe.

Khama said Zimbabweans needed to intensify their protests.

“Time has come for Zimbabweans to do something much more. Even if it means a personal sacrifice or withdrawal of labour crossing the borders to make neighbouring states pay attention to what is happening in Zimbabwe,” the former president said.

Khama, who retired in 2018 at the end of his second term, was an outspoken critic of Mugabe, a rare dissenter in a region where leaders never publicly condemn one another.

The former president recently posted on Facebook that he had spent a day with Zimbabwean migrants to learn about their struggles. He also endorsed a global hashtag movement – #ZimbabweanLivesMatter – which has seen international celebrities and hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans across the world demanding respect for human rights.

Khama said key to Zimbabwe breaking the cycle of poor governance is the holding of truly free and fair elections.

“The problem is that there has been rigging of elections which has not allowed that to happen as we now hear from Zimbabweans who have come to work here,” Khama said.

“That country has so much potential, the biggest and greatest resource are the people who are able to turn things around. I think that is a starting point,” he added.