By A Correspondent

Botswana’s President, Duma Boko, has firmly denied claims that he was gifted 10 Ankole cattle by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa during a recent SADC summit in Harare.

The rumor, which surfaced through Tuesday Grill, suggested that the cattle were given to Boko as a congratulatory gesture for his historic general election victory. However, in a statement issued on December 17, Emang Mutapati, the Press Secretary to President Boko, refuted these claims as “baseless and unfounded.”

Mutapati’s statement emphasized: “The Office of the President categorically refutes false allegations that President Duma Boko has received any breed of cows or similar gifts from His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa of the Republic of Zimbabwe.”

The statement further clarified that President Boko has no involvement in farming activities, stating, “President Boko has never been involved in farming, either as a cattle rancher or in any other manner.”

The press release described the rumors as “a deliberate act of propaganda designed to mislead the public, detract from the critical work of the administration, and tarnish the strong diplomatic relations between Botswana and Zimbabwe.” Mutapati called on the public to disregard the allegations and stated, “We urge the public to dismiss these misleading allegations with the contempt they deserve.”

In addition, the statement called on the Botswana Editors Forum to protect the public from those spreading misinformation, saying, “We call on the leadership of the Botswana Editors Forum to protect the public from rogue elements who masquerade as journalists while engaging in deliberate misinformation campaigns.”

The statement concluded by reaffirming that the diplomatic relationship between Presidents Boko and Mnangagwa remains focused on “strengthening cooperation and fostering mutual development between the two nations.”