The parliamentary system that Botswana inherited from the British was founded not by gentlemen but brawlers in the literal sense of the word. On a normal work day, they showed up for work armed with freshly-sharpened swords. On occasion, a duel would take place right inside the chamber – which is led to a white-line demarcation that separated the government and opposition benches. This line is retained in Westminster-type parliaments as a symbolic nod to its history.
The conflict management strategy also took the form of protocol that required members to address each as “Honourable.” There was actually mutual understanding that there was nothing honourable about the people one referred to as such but one was less likely to whip out a sword and behead a political opponent if he calls him by that honorific. It is a mark of progress that today’s parliaments are not that gladiatorial but the fighting continues in a different form. In the particular case of the Botswana parliament, that takes the form of turning the floor into a point-scoring arena, an extension of the “freedom square” – the open-air venue for political rallies. After all, politics is entertainment and the popularity of TikTok videos from parliament that go viral is proof that the masses approve.
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