Whoever becomes the next President of the Republic of Botswana (that is if President Khama does not become our own Mugabe ÔÇô life president) will inherit a ruin on nearly all fronts and this is because Ian Khama is the worst President Botswana ever had. Whether he is a below average politician or distinguished bigot, Khama is failing fast, big and everywhere and is only succeeding in ruining Botswana.
No presidency is ever without its share of criticism but Ian Khama seems to stir up more controversy and negativity than anyone else. His presidency was dogged from the onset by loud murmurs that he is a spoilt brat to the core with indifference if not outright hostility towards established norms. He is the architect of divisive politics through the institutionalisation of the Khama doctrine of spying on citizens. Under Khama’s presidency, people cannot disagree without challenging each others’ character, nationality and patriotism.
Is it not amazing that a state president riding in on a wave of unprecedented public goodwill would in a short space of time be called to quit because he has become a celebrated liability? Assuming he is intelligent, smart and hard working and assuming his cabinet ministers are men and women of substance, what then accounts for his dismal failure? Proverbs 16:18 warns that pride comes before the fall.
Perhaps we need to come to terms with the naked truth that Khama was over-rated from the word go. He is simply a phony with an exaggerated, fabricated and cleverly disguised past. The excitement that greeted his presidency, especially by illiterate and destitute persons who never miss a chance to play stupid was always going to be just enough to welcome him but not so enough to fool reality into believing that he is an intelligent and capable leader. The many who entertained high hopes for Khama have lost confidence in his capacity to lead and are beginning to see him for what he is ÔÇô a bogus magician. Surely things looked like they were getting better before they got worse.
All too often, President Khama is absent or clueless when the nation needs him most preferring to spend time in the gym or playing with his dirt bikes or warming his knuckles around evening fires in the rural areas where life is easy and the audience willing to listen to him telling them how he is nice instead of steering our country away from a hurricane. The rural areas have become his comfort zone since most rural residents seem fascinated by his repetitive names and colour of skin.
As a result, workers feel betrayed and abused especially because their ultimate chief executive treats them like used nappies. Public officers face a mountain of levies that they can’t afford to pay. Many of them believe that they are working harder for less while the state of the economy since Khama’s presidency has become a sharp contrast of the internationally acclaimed shining example of democracy and fiscal management in Africa. All these because of a morally bankrupt and tragic presidency, hence for the first time Botswana is facing a crippling crisis of confidence in the President and his gang of arrogant cabinet ministers. I know that Khama loyalists would argue that decisions that he usually announce in his meetings are collective decisions of the Executive even when he categorically states that ‘I’ will do this and that. There is nothing like a slip of the tongue. Instead the tongue gives us away by letting out what we intended to conceal.
Time has come to begin the search for new leadership. The situation on the ground requires someone with tremendous leadership influence not just a name. It is a pity that President Khama still has a healthy balance of years to complete his first term as the republican president but hard times demand tough and painful decisions. President Khama must do the honorable thing and step down before he is forced to resign in disgrace. President Khama always wants us to believe that he is very honorable and smart and is often very quick to lecture African leaders to respect the will of the people. The current mood is that many people are fed up with Ian Khama.
The barrage of stinging criticism, hostility and public ridicule visited upon him by individuals across the political divide, trade union leaders, leaders of opposition, religious ministers and veterans in his own party bear testimony to people’s disdain of him. His haters even whisper that probably Khama is not one of us because his view of the world does not correspond with our real lives and experiences. That he does not have a narrative that draws upon the rest of us as Batswana. As a result, Khama has become a hate figure of Botswana’s politics largely because he is power drunk and manages the country as if it were his tuck shop or shebeen. He has no regard for the rule of law, laid down procedures and collective wisdom but prefers rule by decree.
Ian Khama has trouble in concealing his hatred of opposition political parties. His brazen utterances at the recent High Level Consultative Council meeting where he accused the opposition of inciting public servants to strike and students to disturb the peace in the country were frightening. The accusations seem to have been calculated to provide justification for president Khama to ban opposition parties which is why he must leave the presidency now before he turns Botswana into a playhouse for marshal law. His sustained and misleading comments on the opposition are very treacherous and should worry each one of us.
In his address on the public servants’ strike, Vice President Merafhe concluded by saying, ‘if this continues, government will have no option but to take whatever action may be necessary to ensure the maintenance of peace and stability’.
When you realize that this terrorist-like language was used by the second in command who once threatened that if necessary, they would govern this country the military style, you really got to be worried even if you lack curiosity about anything. Thus, Khama’s remarks about the opposition’s role in the public service strike and Merafhe’s blatant threats should perhaps prepare us for life in a one party state.
Africa is littered with countries that have been ruined by their rulers, especially those with military background such as Idi Amin, Samuel Doe, Mobutu Se Se Seko, Mohamed Siad Barre and many more. We should not allow Khama to take us this route which is why we must amplify our voice to politely ask him to leave. When fanatics [and bozos] are in control, there is no limit to oppression [and madness] Mencken, H. L. (1956).
