Botswana Congress Party (BCP) vice president, Kesitegile Gobotswang, told a rally at the Gaborone Bus Rank that the BCP cares more about the ordinary Motswana than President Ian Khama does.
Gobotswang said that Khama’s ‘liking approach’ to ordinary Batswana is deadly and will be exposed in the not too distant future, to reveal glaring mistakes.
Ever since president Khama took over office in April last year, Gobotswanag said, much public money has been used in unproductive ventures, such as the constituency league games and agriculture initiative, in the name of ISPAAD- “an uncommon phenomenon in the history of Botswana that is only witnessed in Khama’s era” and one that will leave Batswana empty handed and impoverished.
“Dissenting voices say we talk much about President Khama. But there is no way we should not. BDP exists as a ghost party, usurped by Khama, his family and his cronies in the military.
We are no longer in a bid to oust the BDP but rather, we are in contest with the Khama Party masquerading as the BDP and, as such, much has to be blamed on him. He is giving out directives at will and exorbitantly spending public funds,” roared Gobotswang.
Gobotswang, a university lecturer who has his eye on the Tswapong constituency, believes Khama’s transition to the highest position in the country was a joke never to last long.
He said he knows Khama as a tyrant comparable to former military dictator Idi Amin of Uganda who would not adhere to democratic principles.
“When Khama was inaugurated on the 1st of April, I dismissed the transition because it was a fooling day anyway. I knew him as a retired tyrant from the military barracks and I out rightly discarded the notion that he was a democrat who would stick to democratic principles. How could a despot become a democrat out of the blue?” Gobotswang asked, to ululations from BCP supporters attending the rally.
A seasoned politician with reputable accolades under his belt, Gobotswang wondered why most Batswana were so excited about the elevation of president Khama, saying that no sooner had he ascended to the highest position in the land, had Khama revealed his true traditional colours as a despot.
“Immediately upon assuming power, he started to give instructions and directives. He would wake up in the morning and usher directives of his liking and expects Batswana to dance to the tunes – failure of which stern measures would follow.”
Gobotswang said that as if that were not enough, Khama spread his wings too far, encroaching on individuals’ rights – instructing the people what to wear.
“You discarded our previous calls during the past elections and today, you are suffering under a heavy yoke. The best way to stay away from these burdens is to vote for the BCP candidates in the coming national elections. You should not wait until 2016, for Khama will have finished your public money. It is now or never,” Gobotswang argued.
For his part the BCP Youth Secretary General, Thato Osupile, accused the opposition Botswana National Front and the ruling Botswana Democratic Party of bickering and factionalism, arguing the two would make a happy couple should they court.
“Since its inception, the BCP has known peace, unlike the BNF and the ruling BDP. Compared to each other, you may not see the difference, for they look alike.”
Osupile decried the looming situation as the government decided not to pay students allowances during the vacations – a situation that would see students losing their places of abode.
He, however, assured the audience of a walk in the park for Gaborone Central MP, Dumelang Saleshando, in the coming national elections.
