One of vision 2016’s pillars is to have a compassionate just and caring nation. We expect the government to be on the forefront or at least exemplary with making sure that the vision is accomplished by then.
But our government is not on that way, it has other important plans than being compassionate. We (Batswana) are not a nation with questioning ability more especially for those in power.
Traditionally leaders were left to have a final word on everything. We can no longer afford to do the same. We have too much respect for those in power that we end up with none for ourselves. We give them godlike powers to act without any real consultation. We defend their (faulty) actions so much that they end up doing everything knowing that we will come to rescue them. That they sit in parliament and make decisions that affect our lives for us.
Basarwa issue with the government has brought a lot of questions on to the surface. First lies were told about their relocation. Recently Gem Diamonds has been given a 25 years mining license to the same land that Basarwa were being relocated from formerly due to the harsh conditions there. How many decisions of that kind has the government taken, undercover, feeding us with wrong information while they know very well the real reasons? How many decisions have the government taken that disadvantage certain people to benefit a few? Thank God we are not a radical nation. We believe firmly in ntwa kgolo ke ya molomo. Some of these people who are openly oppressed would have taken extreme measures to make the government reconsider its decisions. I am not advocating for such extreme measures. They are for people who hear and see the truth but still do as they wish anyway.
And I am afraid our ‘good’ government is slowly but surely following that path. We rejoice with Basarwa in their victory against the government. It rarely happens if ever it does for citizens to take their government to court for being denied access to water. We are a good country (government) on the outside but pretty nasty on the inside. Thank you very much Basarwa for waking usup. We hope the government also learnt something and will be cautious in future decisions. But in everything that happens the government is certainly not to blame. We are too quiet as a nation and as such the blame shall be upon us.
