Resources will always be a big issue for a poor opposition party like the Botswana National Front.
But the resignation of James Mathokgwane cannot be left to just pass and die without the party going to the bottom of it.
There is no doubt that Mathokgwane’s resignation is poised to haunt the BNF.
This has got nothing to with whether or not the party will retain the constituency.
Rather it is all about addressing the many concerns as raised by an ordinary voter.
Such an investigation should address the apprehensions, aspirations, fears and disappointments of ordinary citizens many of who are pinning their hopes on the opposition to rescue the country from the meltdown.
It is important that full facts on Mathokgwane’s resignation are brought to life, not just for the BNF and its members but also for the multitudes of non-partisan citizens who need to start believing in politics again.
Right now there is a deep-seated feeling of suspicion on just what the true reasons behind Mathokgwane resignation are.
We have heard the leader of the BNF say Mathokgwane has since said the reasons are personal and can thus not invite the party and general public into that space.
Only in Botswana can there be such a lame reason for a Member of Parliament to summarily resign from parliament without bidding his constituents a good bye only for him to get a corporate job barely a week later.
In glaringly desperate effort to avert attention away from himself, Mathokgwane has been quoted elsewhere saying he is diabetic and feared he was going to die if he continued in politics.
This in our opinion is a load of horse manure.
The job that Mathokgwane is taking up at SPEDU in Selibe-Phikwe is not only more paying, it also is more stressful and much more demanding than a part-time job that he was doing in parliament.
We have been fooled and lied to by politicians many times before. We really do not have any more appetite for any more lies from politicians.
It is important for the BNF that any discreditable behaviour either on the part of Mathokgwane and/or his handlers is exposed. Only then can the voters in the constituency of Goodhope/Mabule even start to think of giving the Umbrella for Democratic Change an audience.
Mathokgwane’s resignation would be much pardonable if for example he stepped down on principle that he was being investigated either for corruption or any such criminality.
The public has not been favoured with any such information.
Instead the public is being tossed from pillar to post and left to second guess what the true reasons really are. Not only is this rude, but it is also disingenuous by those involved.
BNF needs to carry out an investigation so that any act of culpability can be exposed. It is also important that if there is any blame to be apportioned, so be it.
