April 7 2010: What a long weekend it has been. So Jesus, the Christian leader, was nailed to the cross and eventually resurrected over this past holidays. Whether you believe in the whole theory or not, we were all forced to observe and obey the commemoration of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Infact, we are always forced to pay some special observance to all Christian holidays, regardless of which religion you follow. Just because Christians go to church during such holidays, everyone is expected to follow suit or stay home, which is why our work places and entertainment centres like bars and clubs are closed or allowed limited trading hours during Christian holidays.
I know Christians say April 1st is a day for non believers because as far as their Bible is concerned all non believers are fools. They quote from Psalm 14:1 which apparently states, ‘The fool says in his heart, there is no God’. Phew! Well, I have no qualms with Christian holidays because I have no problem with Christianity and Christians. Besides, I enjoy the holidays because I use the time to socialize. However, as someone who believes in unbiased democracy and strives to embrace it to the letter, I have a problem when Christianity is imposed on everyone. Why can’t we have a situation where churches and bars remain open throughout the holidays so that we can choose where we want to spend our holidays? It should be my choice to spend Easter holidays in a church or in a club. That would be democracy.
In the US, some schools do not even allow for the Lord’s Prayer to be recited during assembly time because they do not want to impose the Christian prayer on students who may not be Christians. Democracy is not what your leader enjoys and imposes on you but rather what you deem suitable for yourself and for as long as it doesn’t trample upon someone else’s rights. So really it is not fair to impose Christianity on everyone. I know this nation was founded on Christian principles but if we are to label ourselves a Secular State then we should be ready to accommodate other people’s choices and interests. Imposition of Christianity on the entire nation doesn’t augur well with our notion of being a shining example of democracy. Atheists are part of this great nation and their choices deserve same respect and recognition. Anyway I will ask Richard Harriman to assist me argue this one.
Ok, enough with Christians and atheists. Actually for this week I had intended to dare Ndelu to sue those he accuses of writing and speaking about his possible conflict of interest. Though I’m not sure if I’m one of those Ndelu contemplates suing, I look forward to his argument and defence towards accusations labeled against him. It will be interesting indeed. Anyway let me leave Ndelu’s debacle for another time.
During this past long weekend I socialized a lot. I patronized many bars and clubs. I visited friends’ homes for barbecue and drinks and in the process met a lot of people who religiously follow my column. I was overwhelmed and humbled at the impact my opinions have on the society. Some of the readers I was meeting for the first time and it was a pleasure meeting most of them in person and getting their feedback. All the people I met at the UB Staff Lounge, O’Hagan’s Irish Pub and Satchmos Night Club were happy with what I’m doing. That is, writing the truth without betraying my convictions and principles. Even though my family and indeed many other people think I should stop being brutally truthful as this puts my life in danger, I still insist it is worth the hassle and hazard. I still implore my family to show me that one person who is best suited to take my place before I fall into oblivion.
By the way, during my interactions with my fans (yes I have fans just like the president),(and I’m in the limelight, sorry Mr Vice President) they told me that grown up men with big bellies go around spreading false information that Sidney Pilane and Botsalo Ntuane pen my articles. Why do these spineless cowards spread such information? Well, apparently they feel I’m just too young and my level of education does not fit my level of thinking. Perhaps they say so because they know of a certain PhD holder at the Office of the President who writes politically motivated articles and uses a certain friend of mine’s name for his byline so that we can be fooled into believing this friend of mine is the author. MacD Peloetletse is my friend.
To my fans I say, such gossip is the least of my worries. As Batswana who love this country so much, we are duty bound to confront head on the tyrants and populists threatening to erode the democratic ideals of our beloved country. All I’m worried about is the dictatorial tendencies and the intolerance displayed by our leadership. Infact everytime I hear that my articles are linked with such great minds as Pilane and Ntuane I feel overjoyed and gratified because that means I fall in the same league with them and like they say, great minds think alike. This is why I want Ntuane and Pilane to remain steadfast in their quest to form a break away party from the BDP. I share their sentiments and harbor same intentions .I share the same views, beliefs and aspirations with them. And hey, it’s no secret I’m good in English just like Botsalo and Sidney. People can fret about it. They can fume about it. They can be bitter about. It’s just great minds thinking alike.
Moving on. I hear the BDP is once again applying the divide and rule tactic on the Barata-Phathi members. Reports say the guys are being approached individually and asked to somersault from the idea of breaking away from the BDP. Oh by the way, MacD Peloetletse had invited me over for drinks with Dr Comma Serema over the weekend. I got held up and didn’t turn up for the invitation. Let’s do it next time my friend but like I told you over the phone, you will never succeed in converting me from being a truthful and principled young man that I am. I will meet you so that you can tell me the many things that you say I’m ignorant of. I will honour your invitation so that I can tell you straight to your face that I don’t like our current leadership style. Perhaps you will also give me tips on how you managed to end up dressing our police officers. We will also talk about the disadvantage of closing clubs so early during holidays. Remember our encounter with the Police on Friday night?
Excuse my big mouth; my point really is to warn, for the last time, those Barata-Phathi members who seem ready to fall into the BDP trap. How many times am I going to tell Barata-Phathi that they will never mend fences with President Ian Khama? If any of these guys is not ready to stand for political office in the next general elections, they should go back to the BDP. All that Khama needs is one simple sentence to kick them out of the political race. Khama can entice Barata-Phathi to get soft with him now but I bet in 2013 a simple sentence reading “you are not fit to represent the BDP” will be enough for Khama to ruin Barata-Phathi loyalists’ chances of standing for elections. I wonder what makes some of Barata-Phathi to believe they can still make it into Khama’s retinue when he has proved his mettle with Motswaledi. It will be politically suicidal for Barata-Phathi to arouse people’s hopes and abandon their mission so easily and foolishly. Barata-Phathi should know that their envisaged party is not only for their personal benefit and political survival but it is an answer to our national outcry for an alternative leadership. I am inundated with questions of how far Barata-Phathi members are with the formation of a new movement. I find it hard to answer because I’m as curious as anybody else. I’m not here to disseminate information on behalf of Barata-Phathi but I always write about Barata-Phathi because I see them as our ray of hope. I get worried that should Barata-Phathi abandon their mission of walking out of the BDP,I will never forgive myself for associating with them because they would have proved they are not as principled as they want us to believe. So, if they cannot do it for themselves, let them do it for this nation which is sick and tired of the current iron rule where one man’s views, wishes, hopes and dreams determine how he leads us, no matter how detrimental to our lives and freedoms. Please Barata-Phathi, do not disappoint this nation. Trust me a lot of people believe in you. They are ready to follow you. Ignore my advice at your peril. They don’t call him SKI for nothing.
