Political tolerance, respect, trust, peace and stability are all strengthened by positive political attitudes and values.
These can only be achieved when politicians from across the political divide work through national challenges together.
Unfortunately, some political fanatics, especially some prominent politicians from the opposition ranks, are busy instilling fear, mistrust, anger and hate.
They seem bent on doing everything to plant seeds that will bring about politics of division.
Again, unfortunately, such politicians are ably assisted by some radios and newspapers.
Although it is their constitutional right to express their political views and thoughts, including by way of expressing their misgivings about the ruling party, it is unfair for them to continue to promote social disorder and hatred with the hope of gaining some political mileage from their plainly wayward behavior.
Politicians must see themselves as professionals.
They must see themselves as people with rights.
More importantly, they must see themselves as people with responsibilities.
Like privileges, rights come with responsibilities.
Which is why it is saddening when politicians from the opposition side fail to practice their profession with integrity.
A politician has a unique position in service to the society they belong to.
The proximity of a politician to the community places him or her in a position of trust. As a result, it is a prerequisite that politicians maintain high standard of ethical competence and professional integrity.
It is only when they have integrity that they can claim any position of moral high ground.
It is only when they have clean hands themselves that the politicians can claim to talk on behalf and represent the weaker members of society.
Policies, of course, change and new procedures may be introduced, but the social institution of government has the task of maintaining functions of the state so that order exists.
Now and again, there have been several newspaper articles from some members of the opposition in the likes of a certain Comrade Moore and Arafat K. Khan who continue to preach political mistrust by way of ridiculing our presidency.
Comrade Moore and Khan seem to want to thrive on instilling fear, hate and confusion.
I have also attended several opposition political rallies around the country and at the Gaborone main bus rank.
At these rallies, opposition political activists preach political intolerance and encourage radicalism.
Some speakers at these rallies have turned themselves into fire spitting political militants who preach hostile and rude political remarks about our peace loving country with particular reference to the presidency!
One wonders if the same individuals would stomach such attacks were they in the presidency.
It is also unfortunate that some prominent opposition members who hold executive positions at their respective political parties are involved in these acts of intolerance.
Individual citizens who do not support their radial views and political parties are labeled “sycophants”, “bootlickers”, “stupid” and many other undesirable names!
Having raised the above concerns, I find it proper and just to highlight just a few incidents out of many that are recipe for future trouble and political instability in our peace loving nation;
Hell nearly broke loose in 2005 when some opposition supporters (many of them BNF youth activists) blocked the school gate at Phillip Moshotle Primary School refusing Honourable MP Kavis Kario’s car and many other cars to enter the school premises during the counting of ballot papers for Gaborone West North by elections. It was not until riot police were called in that order came back. They were shouting and chanting party slogans kicking and throwing stones at people’s cars! That is sad
During the same year, a BNF youth mob disrupted a political rally addressed by Honourable MP Jacob Nkate. Again, police were called to come and assist.
Not long ago, a certain BNF youth activist wrote an article questioning the “sexual orientation” and “sexuality” of a BDP leader!
In Lobatse, some BNF activists, together with an elected BNF MP assaulted a mentally disturbed person at a political rally!
In Dutlwe, a BNF activist publicly threatened the police
In 2006 at Mahalapye during a BNF retreat, a local newspaper reported an incident at which a prominent BNF activist and a professional lawyer threatened to beat up the party’s acting president at the time! And many other unpleasant incidents of disrespect were reported during the retreat, especially to the party’s leadership.
In 1998 at Palapye, BNF members at their party congress fought and injured one another. Chairs and windows of a community hall were broken and some members even treated at a local hospital. All these happened in the eyes and presence of the party’s presidency.
There is no political prize in violence.
Use of offensive and obscene language does not pay.
Political extremism is a form of social cancer.
It is a recipe for radicalism.
It begets troubles and can only destroy our international image.
Having mentioned all the above concerns, it might also be of use to take a closer look at the terms “political values” and “political attitudes” and also discuss how they can be distinguished from each other.
Let us first look at the concept of political attitudes with particular reference to dangers towards any country’s peace and stability.
One of the key concepts when looking at political behaviour is that of political attitudes and, as such, it has long been a central concern of political psychological theory. Our political attitudes reflect part of who we are, our needs desires and values. They also reflect the needs and demands of the society and political environment in which we live in. Thus, our political attitudes will influence the way we see and act upon our country. They influence our lifestyle. They have a direct impact on our political opinions. They also inform our choice of political statements.
Compared with our political attitudes, our political values occupy a far more central part of our political structure. Political attitudes are seen as arising from personal political value systems. An example might be valuing political honesty as an ultimate goal and standard for political behaviours.
That being the case it then would naturally follow that positive political attitude would be held by those who express or exhibit political honesty.
Negative political attitudes are attributes held by people who are politically intolerant and given to distortions of truth.
It is well to remember that the political attitudes that one holds at any one time may well conflict (at times violently) with those of others.
Indeed, a severe political attitudinal disagreement has been the cause not only of some country’s political disputes, but also of historical devastation.
However, in the society in which we live, lack of respect for alternative viewpoints should not be allowed.
To Arafat Khan, a BNF youth activist. I wish him peace. I wish he could stop insulting Bangwato.
Differing with Bangwato politically does not give him the right to continue to abuse them in newspaper articles as he has yet done it again in The Mirror news paper of the 18th July 2007.
