Ikusasa yeziphepheli zeZimbabwe eziphose zifike amakhulu amathathu ezikweleBotswana ayaziwa ngemva kokuqhamuka komkhuhlane weCOVID-19, okumise imizamo kahulumende walelozwe ukuthi ababuyisele emuva.
AbeZimbabwe abasala enkambeni yeziphepheli eyeDukwi Refugee Camp ephandle kwedolobho leFrancistown, azikwazi ukuthi ikusasa iziphatheleni.
Ngesikhathi sokuqhamuka komkhuhlane weCovid-19 ngoMbimbitho lonyaka, iBotswana yayi phakathi kohlelo lokubuyisela emuva iziphepheli zeZimbabwe. Abadlula amakhulu amane basebe buyiselwe ekhaya kuhlelo oluqale nyakenye.
Abangaphose befike amakhulu amathathu babeyalile ukubuyiselwa emuva besithi bayesaba ukuhlukunyezwa ngaphansi kukahulumende kamongameli Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Inhlanganiso ebona ngeziphepheli umhlaba wonke jikelele, eyeUnited Nations High Commission on Refugeees, yayixwayise ukuthi iziphepheli zeZimbabwe ziyekelwe zibe yingxenye yesizwe seBotswana.
Kodwa umphathintambo wakweleBotswana obona ngeziphepheli, umnunzana Kagiso Mmusi, uthi ukuqhamuka komkhuhlane weCOVID-19 sekumise inhlelo zokukhangela udaba lweziphepheli.
“Ugatsha lwami lusebenza lohulumende weZimbabwe ukubona ukuthi iziphepheli zingancediswa kanjani. Kodwa khathesi simiswe ngumkhuhlane weCOVID-19, yona evimbela ukuthi abantu beqe umngcele.”
Omunye weziphepheli, umnunzana Wasu Chibi uthi lokhe kwaqamuka umkhuhlane weCOVID-19 kusathule phezu kokuphindiselwa kwabo ekhaya, kumbe ukuvunyelwa ukuthi babeyingxenye yesizwe seBotswana.
“Kulezinsuku akulanto ehambayo. Izithupha zethu zokuhlala eBotswana bazengezelele okumnyaka. Besesinikwa inyanga eziyisithupha kumbe ezintathu, khathesi kungcono. Njalo abasihluphi kangako uma sifuna ukuphuma enkambeni.”
UChibi uthi udaba lokudla sekugcono, noma nje kulokhe kusilela. Kwabalesikhathi iziphepheli zikhala ngokuthi ukudla ezikutholayo akulahlonzi, njalo kulutshwane.
“Ukudla kukhona, yikho khonokho. Okwansukuzonke khonokho kukhona. Sesijwayele akulanto entshintshileyo.”
Iziphepheli ezinengi eziyesaba ukuphindela ekhaya zabaleka ngesikhathi somnyaka ka2008, kulandela ukhetho lokudinga umongameli lona olwabalodlakela, lwatshiya inengi lingelamizi yokuhlala kukanti abanye balahlekelwa ngumphefumulo.
Inengi lingabalandeli bebandla eliphikisayo leMDC, elithi alithembi umbuso weZANU PF, ngakho yikho bengalasifiso sokubuyela ekhaya.