Of late, we have been hearing of pronouncements made by our leaders which are in reality confessions and admissions that things are not or were not what the nation has been told they were. This ranges from admissions of economic, education and governance matters. My main issue is whether Batswana are listening and hear the admissions being made. It is possible that having become accustomed to being told what the situation of our country is they are again looking to our leaders to again point them to what is happening. For me things are very clear, we have reached a stage where our leaders are admitting that they are beyond their depth.
At the head of the admission stands our very own head of state. His remarks about workers in South Africa and Chinese contractors are nothing but admissions that the BDP has for years lacked the imagination to lead this country, that we have been very lucky and that our luck has finally ran out.
To me a leader should have a complete grasp of the status of his country. The economy of this country is controlled by South African entities. To suggest that workers in South Africa are disturbing the economy of Botswana is akin to saying that workers in South Africa are disturbing the economic activities of South African entities is Botswana. The question then is why should the president of Botswana fight for the private economic interests of South African entities in Botswana.
Even on the construction capabilities of Chinese contractors the president must realize that if he sidelines or blacklists Chinese contractors he will again look up to South African entities because BDP governments have failed to develop citizen owned contractors to replace the Chinese. I am sure the South Africans must have had a good laugh when they read our presidents comments.
On the railway issues again we have to appreciate that in an economy dominated by South African, entities the proposed railway lines will be bringing in goods for South African companies that dominate the economy under the BDP watch. Chances are the mining equipment will be supplied and maintained by South African entities.
Given that no BDP government can ever have the courage of Robert Mugabe in getting Batswana to control the economy of this country, the remarks have a hollow ring about them. We have recently read that BIHL has had to sell a stake in its Zambian operation to comply with Zambian law. It is a given that no BDP government can ever have the courage to formulate the same law in Botswana.
One may also read the remarks of our president from and economic freedom point of view. A person who is satisfied with being given food handouts and blankets, can never really appreciate what economic freedom is about, whilst a person who seeks a living wage to better provide for his family cannot take blankets and food handouts as instruments for achieving economic freedom. A leader who gives out blankets and food handouts and who refuses to formulate a citizen economic empowerment law cannot seriously want economic freedom for his people.
My argument is that Rre Khama’s remarks may expose more about his lack of understanding and appreciation of what people are about than necessary. The thinking that apartheid is limited to white rule is clearly a misunderstanding of what apartheid was about. Black South Africans understand that they also need economic freedom, a subject that is alien to BDP thinking. His remarks explain the BDP’s failure to appreciate why Batswana want to be masters of their own economy.
The idea that has informed successive BDP governments that roads, water supply schemes and electricity are all that Batswana deserve rather than participation is their economy underlies Rre Khama’s remarks. The idea that using the one weapon that employees have, strike action, should cease with a change of government from whites to blacks is flawed. It tries to make a distinction within the constituent elements of apartheid.
The trouble as I see it is that because Rre Khama is accepted within white circles he fails to see the racism of poverty that obtains in his country. Even as he visits villages and hands out blankets he never pauses to ask himself why there are no white or Indian people falling over themselves to receive his gifts? If Rre Khama could only take a moment to reflect on this he would understand why some people have a difficulty with his poverty eradication initiatives and his government’s refusal to formulate a citizen economic empowerment law.
The days when we were told that we were better off than other people are numbered. Re tswa pelo. In Zambia the people come first, the same obtains in Zimbabwe and South Africa. How long does the BDP think people of Botswana will continue to listen to stories about foreign investors. Foreigners and foreign owned entities have dominated the economy of this country for ages. What do have to show for such domination when our educated youth are unemployed? I have a distinct suspicion that our leader is yet to appreciate that his government is not able to justify why South African entities have to comply to empowerment laws in South Africa but not when they are in Botswana.
If you have two kids in your home and the neighbour’s kids are able to enjoy life you will be hard presses to keep your children in the narrow path by mere preaching. Your children will very much like to go to the movies and to have a good time just like the neighbour’s children. It is therefore not sustainable to think that talk about attracting foreign investors will pacify your children. It is high time that the BDP government appreciate that they are fighting against their own children at a time when they have no control over neigbouring countries.
I recently read a review of Rre Ray Molomo’s book on democratic deficiency of the Botswana parliament. The reviewer, a lecturer at UB I believe, for some strange reason saw the book as a response to BNF accusations that the BDP leading lights had nothing to show for their claimed intellect. In my view, such a statement was uncalled for and hides what is taking place. Rre Molomo was merely adding his voice to what the opposition, BNF in particular, has been saying for ages. In actual fact the book is an admission of the truth of what the opposition has been saying.
It does not make sense to me why an admission that what the other party has been saying of ages is correct must be seen as a response to the accusation that BDP has not had anything to say. Even Rre Magang’s book records how intransigent the BDP is when it comes to placing Batswana at the core of the country’s economy. Here is a group of people who are hell bent on ensuring that foreigners control the economy of this country. Just what is the hold that foreigners have over these people?
Then again we may be faulting the foreigners for nothing. I mean the foreigner takes a gamble. The leaders then take a conscious decision to stand against their own people in favour of the foreigner. The question to ask is why do our leaders hate us so much? It may not even matter to know why they hate us so much. It is only enough to know that they do, and to choose leaders who put us first. Mugabe may be a trouble maker but Zimbabwean own property in Botswana whilst Batswana do not own property in Zimbabwe.
Our young must understand that after people like Rre Magang I was amongst those who advocated for citizen economic empowerment in the construction industry. We wet all sort of hurdles and I must confess we failed dismally to change the BDP government’s love for foreign entities. At the time there were some Grade D and E citizen companies in the construction industry. As I write this these companies are nowhere to be seen. This happened under the watch of the very government that tells us it has lost confidence in Chinese companies. It was through the Chinese companies that our government made citizen companies extinct.
I remember at one time we had audience with the then Minister of Finance who proposed a works reservation that was meaningless to us. There was reservation of none existent works categories. What this suggests is a conscious decision on the part of our very own government to ensure that citizens were marginalized. Thus when the president attacks the actions of workers in South Africa and treats the same in isolation to the domination of our economy by South African entities one is left wondering whether we really know what nationhood is about.
