The umbrella project was officially declared a failure on the eve of Christmas. The BCP and the BNF attribute its failure to the unreasonable demands that were made by the BMD. The BNF Secretary General, Akanyang Magama, is quoted in the Mmegi newspaper dated 6th January 2012 saying that, “While both the BNF and the BCP made compromises and sacrifices with respect to their wish list on constituencies, the BMD remained rigid for the duration of the talks.” Dr. Gobotswang of the BCP is quoted in the same newspaper saying that, “It was difficult for the BCP and the BNF to accede to the demands of the BMD.” He went further to say that “while the other parties compromised, the BMD did not.”
When I read the press statement released by the leader of the BMD, Gomolemo Motswaledi, explaining the demands and wishes that were tabled by his party at the negotiation table, I failed to reach the same conclusion as the leaders of the BNF and the BCP as quoted above. The BNF and the BCP talk about the BMD refusing to accept their “offer” on certain constituencies. I fail to understand how they can “offer” the BMD constituencies that they do not control. These are constituencies that are currently held by either the BMD or the BDP. You cannot give that which you do not have. Thus, I find it nonsensical and absurd for the two parties to claim that they could “offer” the BMD some of the constituencies that are not under their control.
The argument presented by Dumelang Saleshando in the WeekendPost newspaper dated 7-13 January 2012 that any opposition party that obtained 40% of the popular vote in the last election be allowed to represent the umbrella is weak and has no basis. What criteria did his party use to settle for 40% and not 35% or 45% or any other number? I also challenge him to demonstrate that there is a positive correlation between obtaining 40% of the votes in a constituency and winning it at the next elections. In the absence of any data to support his party’s misinformed position and assertion, I find it unconvincing that a 40% threshold was to be used as the main factor to determine who stands for elections. This was just an attempt to sideline the BMD because it did not exist in 2009.
The other argument presented by Saleshando is that they rejected primary elections in disputed constituencies as proposed by the BMD because they are expensive and divisive. Primary elections are an integral part of a democratic set-up and democracy is by its nature expensive. Why are they preaching democracy if they know that they cannot afford it? Are these not the same people who criticized President Khama for stifling democracy in the BDP by coming up with compromise lists? If a party that is less than two years old could make such a proposal, bearing in mind the financial consequences on individuals and their parties, why was it impossible for the so-called tried and tested parties to accept the proposal? Why are they afraid of the BMD if it is indeed a small and insignificant party that has been playing a supplementary role in cooperation talks as Isaac Mabiletsa put it in the WeekendPost dated 7-13 January 2012? If the central strength of the umbrella was the BNF and the BCP as Mabiletsa states, why did they waste their precious time and energy sitting at the negotiation table for eight months with people that they did not need to change government? This demonstrates lack of intelligence and foresight on the part of some politicians who claim to be a cut above the rest.
It is unfortunate that leaders of the BNF and the BCP believe that they are the only two parties that can bring about a change of government, something that they have failed to do for many years. They must hold their horses and avoid getting too excited about a project that may blow up in their faces. There are dogmatic ideologues in the BNF who cannot tolerate the BCP and I have no doubt in my mind that they will do everything possible to ensure failure of the proposed pact between the two parties. Furthermore, the BMD is definitely going to field candidates in constituencies where the BNF and the BCP do not oppose each other. This will split the votes for the opposition bloc and the BDP will benefit as has always been the case.
In his WeekendPost article dated 7-13 January 2012, Dumelang Saleshando states that, “For the BMD and the BCP we jointly have a responsibility to deliver on the coalition that run Gaborone and Francistown city councils. Our partnership in these councils could collapse if we give in to politics of sabotage.” I cannot agree more with Saleshando. But by sidelining the BMD, Saleshando conveniently ignores the fact that he and his party are already doing exactly what he says should not be done. They are already engaged in politics of sabotage at the national level. It is an open secret that the BCP wants Botsalo Ntuane to be removed from the position of Leader of Opposition in parliament. They want Mabiletsa to succeed him. And deep in his heart, Saleshando knows very well that their main problem is not Ntuane. It is the BMD. Otherwise, how does he explain the call made by the BCP Youth League to have Mabiletsa as the substitute instead of replacing Ntuane with another BMD MP?
It is very difficult for me to identify any leadership traits that Mabiletsa has that Ntuane does not have. In fact, comparing Ntuane and Mabiletsa is like trying to find similarities between chalk and wood. The two men are not in the same league. But the BCP is so determined to sideline the BMD at the national level that are vociferously advocating for the ascendancy of a politician who has nothing new to offer. The importance of the coalition formed by the three parties at the national level cannot be downplayed as Saleshando wants to do because all the opposition parties in parliament have an obligation to ensure that each citizen of this country lives a decent life. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Deep-seated hatred and the negative attitude of the BNF and the BCP towards the BMD bring to light the politics of bigotry that I discussed in this column just before Christmas. But bashing the BMD won’t help the two parties to sell their story to the electorates. Hiding behind their fingers won’t help them either. If the BMD goes down, the entire opposition bloc goes down. The BMD is not led by political lightweights. It is led by intelligent political schemers who know how political battles are fought and won. They can make life difficult for their opponents. Hence, it is suicidal for the BCP and the BNF to regard the BMD as a fly on the wall that cannot influence the outcome of the 2014 general elections. I am looking forward to an eventful 2012.
