Many political commentators have lamented the failure by our political masters to give national issues the attention that they deserve. Some opposition MPs and councilors contend that the ruling party has overstayed in power and has run out of ideas. Others simply believe that it is a party of arrogant and self-centred individuals who do not have the interests of the nation at heart. It is against this background that I wish to briefly highlight some of the things that I believe will plunge this country into a crisis if our political masters do not change their attitude regarding pertinent national issues.
One thing that I have noticed is that President Lt Gen Khama does not like interacting with his counterparts at regional or international gatherings. He has so far missed two or three SADC meetings so that he can attend wildlife meetings in the US even though the benefits of the wildlife meetings remain unknown to Batswana.
On Saturday 18th September 2010, Vice President Lt Gen Merafhe flew to New York to represent our country at the United Nations meeting where he is expected to make presentations on some of the things that we have achieved as a nation, the challenges that we face and the manner in which we intend to overcome the identified obstacles. When is President Khama going to interact and learn things from his counterparts? How does he intend to strengthen the bilateral relations that we have with other countries if he does not attend regional and international gatherings?
Regarding public servants, one can only say that they are disillusioned and angry. The employer is taking them for granted. Their salaries have not been adjusted during the last three years even though the cost of living continues to go up. The explanation that they get from the powers that be is that there is no money as the country was affected by the financial meltdown. Why did the Director of DPSM decide to bring into effect the new Public Service Act in May when she knew very well that the government has not budgeted for the things that are to be done under the same? We are now told that the government is going to spend P2 billion on back pays. Where does this money come from since the government is broke?
Last week, the academic and support staff at UB withdrew their labour and paralyzed the institution. Management and the two unions reached an impasse during negotiations simply because the former has no respect whatsoever for the people who do the core business of the university. They just want to line their pockets and do not care about the welfare of the university employees which has a direct bearing on the quality of graduates produced at the end of every academic year.
We read in the newspapers that secondary school teachers have decided not to invigilate final examinations if they are not paid P150. The Botswana Examinations Council is offering teachers P30 failing which retired teachers and unemployed graduates will be used to invigilate the exams. Does the BEC take secondary school final exams seriously? Does it care about the interests of the students?
Teachers are told that there is no money to pay them even though one construction company which is linked to certain powerful individuals has been paid P200 million more than the contract sum. Neither the Director of Roads nor the Minister of Works and Transport has found it necessary to tell the nation factors that contributed to such huge cost-overruns. It is business as usual and no one will be held accountable for the mess.
It has also been revealed that BUIST may be scaled down to a technical college as the government cannot afford to spend P10 billion on the project which may become a white elephant. How can such a big project reach the implementation stage without anyone having realized that it won’t work? Is this an indication of how big projects are handled at the government enclave? Or is it simply a case of people not knowing how public-private partnerships work?
During the last two years, public policies and programmes have been personalized. Everything is about the president, not the government or the nation. And everything about the president has to be presented as sacred and flawless. Unfortunately, in trying to portray the president in good light, some of his Ministers tell the nation things that they know are not true.
Last week, Minister Shaw Kgathi told the whole nation at a press conference in Gaborone that constituency football league has reduced the crime rate in the country. What evidence can he present to support his baseless and misleading statement? Prior to the press conference, Kgathi stated at one of the kgotla meetings he addressed in the Boteti area that constituency league can produce national team players. Yes, national team players!
It is very clear that Kgathi’s intention is to defend the programme introduced by his master at all costs. Telling the nation the truth is not on his agenda. For him, the end justifies the means. P18 million of taxpayers’ money has gone down the drain in two years. How many houses can we build for destitutes with this amount of money?
The recent appointment of certain individuals to the high court and court of appeal has been characterized by controversy. Some people are of the view that the appointments are meant to ensure that the bench is staffed with people who will protect the current administration even after ten years. If this is true, then one is tempted to conclude that citizens will lose confidence in the judiciary. Spencer Mogapi put it succinctly in this week’s Sunday Standard column when he said that the judiciary “remains the only bastion of sanity against misrule, against tyranny and political caprice.” One can only tamper with the judiciary to promote all the afore-mentioned things.
Let me conclude by stating that the manner in which our politicians behave has changed drastically during the last two years. All members of the BDP are competing for the attention of the president and do everything possible to get it. Some of them have appeared on BTv begging for forgiveness from the president and pledging their allegiance to him rather than to the party. Assistant Minister, Kentse Rammidi, left me speechless recently when he expressed his undying love for the BDP and its leader by crying on BTv after the Tonota North by-elections. Ao bathong!
*Dr. Mothusi teaches Public Administration at the University of Botswana
