By Musa Mdluli

MBABANE:His Excellency Ian Khama, the former Botswana President has confirmed his return to Botswana ahead of the highly anticipated elections.

Speaking to Swaziland News editor Zweli Martin Dlamini on Saturday morning, the former President said he successfully managed to have the warrant of arrest against him set aside after appearing in court on Friday. 

But the ex-President clarified that, he appeared briefly in the Botswana Magistrate Court and subsequently travelled to South Africa as he continues to monitor the seriousness of the threats on his life allegedly, by the current Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi regime.

“Goodmorning. I am back in SA. I just went back to challenge the arrest warrant so that I can enter the country freely again and deny them an opportunity to hold me in custody at their whim and to be able to carry  out their intentions to cause me harm.Having been able to achieve that successfully during  my unannounced trip, I will prepare to return once again in the coming days”, said the former President in a message he sent to the editor.

The ex-President has been receiving support from eSwatini and other countries amid the political persecution,after he left Botswana citing a plot to kill him.He was moving freely and visiting other countries when invited to address global events without being arrested.

It has been reported that, about half of the Southern African Development Community(SADC) Heads of State including King Mswati, expressed concerns regarding the political persecution of the former President.

But President Khama is highly expected to appear in court again on the 23rd September 2024, he told this Swaziland News that,he travelled back to South Africa, as he prepares to challenge the charges against him while in a safe place and, will definitely be back in Botswana for the next court appearance.