With the support of two major public unions already in the bag, the Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL) is to stage a massive demonstration, calling for the dismantling of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS).
The Youth League said that it is about time Batswana stood up against an organization “whose members are programmed to be a death squad”.
The BNFYL said that the DIS was not formed in the best interests of the nation but to serve the top brass of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
Aware that they cannot achieve much on their own the Youth League said their plan is to involve as many organizations as they possibly can, amongst them non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Unions and student bodies.
“This demonstration is different from the one we had on June 16 because we are going to invite them to join us as partners not equals,” said Kagiso Ntime, the President of the Youth League.
Ntime said that they are aware that President Ian Khama will be very sensitive about the matter, “considering the fact that the DIS is his project”.
“At the moment, we are not in a position to reveal the names of the two unions because they are yet to address their members and we also don’t want the leaders to be harassed by the president or his sycophants,” said Ntime.
He said that they recognize the need an intelligence agency, the problem with DIS is that it corrupt beyond redemption.
The best alternative would be to look into dismantling it and giving more power to other security options, said Ntime.
The demonstration is expected to take place on the 25th of September and Ntime is optimistic that this time they will push to have the permit at least a week before the demonstration.
He said that during their last demonstration, the police were giving them the run around concerning the granting of the permit as a way of trying to psyche them into rebelling and causing an illegal demonstration.
