Zimbabwe: Botswana plotting coup
 Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa warned Botswana of dire consequences |
Zimbabwe has accused Botswana of being involved in a plot to overthrow President Robert Mugabe's government.
Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told state media they had "compelling evidence" Botswana had been training opposition insurgents.
He said Botswana planned to help recruit and provide military training to youths to destabilise Zimbabwe and bring about illegal regime change.
But the opposition dismissed the claims as "ridiculous".
Observers say it is the first time that such openly hostile relations have emerged among any of the 15 members of the Southern African Development Community.
Botswana's President Ian Khama is one of the few African leaders to have publicly criticised Mr Mugabe.
Mr Khama has called for new elections after Mr Mugabe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai reached deadlock in power-sharing negotiations.
 |  When a leopard starts devouring its young ones, it starts by accusing that young one of smelling like a goat  Nelson ChamisaOpposition spokesman  |
Mr Chinamasa told the Herald newspaper: "Botswana has availed its territory, material and logistical support to [the MDC] for the recruitment and military training of youths for the eventual destabilisation of the country with a view of effecting illegal regime change.
"We now have evidence that while [the MDC] were talking peace they have been preparing for war and insurgency, as well as soliciting the West to invade our country on the pretext of things like cholera."
He claimed the opposition was "bent on foisting war on the country and the region" and warned Botswana of dire consequences.
Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa dismissed the minister's claims saying: "When a leopard starts devouring its young ones, it starts by accusing that young one of smelling like a goat."
A cholera epidemic that has killed around 800 people and Zimbabwe's economic meltdown have sparked new calls from Mr Mugabe's Western critics for the departure of the 84-year-old leader, who has ruled since independence in 1980.
The outbreak has been fuelled by the collapse of the country's health services, sanitation systems and water supply.
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