The Khama Derangement Syndrome that afflicts Dumelang Saleshando and his bagman, Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, is spreading dangerously fast. It is no longer Khama Derangement Syndrome but a Retired Botswana Defence Force Soldiers Derangement Syndrome. Even the acronym RBDFSDS is clumsy because we are dealing with a serious obsession here.
Saleshando, in particular, has ramped up his obsession about all the men who served in the Botswana Defence Force. Eerily, he continues to spout hate towards retired soldiers even though some of these folks are to be found in his party. I don’t know what he thinks of these men but one can only assume that being the radical that he is, he sees them as nothing else but useful voting fodder. They are, perhaps, his version of Useful Idiots.
Given Saleshando’s demonization and rabid hatred of the men whose only sin was to wear the uniform, should we also assume that this man and his father, Gilson Saleshando, will bar retired soldiers from holding leadership positions in the BCP because such a move would, in their warped views, usher in “anger, fear and frustration ? If that is the case, how then does Saleshando explain this blatant curtailment of the civil liberties and constitutional rights of retired soldiers? How would he explain the denial of freedom of association to some of his countrymen?
The hate that Saleshando continues to spout about Khama’s military past is imbecilic and borders on personal abuse. What is heartening though is that President Khama has shown a lot of class by staying above the fray.
The onus is on for the BCP to provide alternative policies for the betterment of Batswana, including retired soldiers. Regrettably, anger and hate are mother’s milk to Saleshando and he can’t think beyond that.
In his op-ed in The Sunday Standard newspaper of 25th January 2009, the BCP propagandist-in-chief screams “with the retired Army Generals now in full control of government, the military visibly taking over the daily Police duties, more and more Batswana fear for the future of their country. Hope and excitement that engulfed the nation on April 1 2008 when Khama was inaugurated has quickly been replaced by anger, fear and frustration.”
Such rants and political innuendo serve no other purpose than to keep Saleshando in the limelight. If I may ask the Honourable Member of Parliament, what do these Batswana fear? Who is angry? Who is frustrated? Where is the proof? It is only Dumelang Saleshando and his travelers who are angry, fearful and frustrated. Dumelang Saleshando does not qualify to speak on behalf of the nation against the BDP and its presidency. He has never had anything positive to say about retired Soldiers, President Khama and BDP.
It is crystal clear that Dumelang Saleshando is eyeing the presidential seat for Mr. Gilson Saleshando who happens to be his father and Dumelang hopes to be the Vice President of Botswana. As the spokes person of the BCP, Dumelang Seleshando must come out clear about the BCP’s position on retired soldiers in politics once he ascends to power.
Is Dumelang Saleshando aware that some of us see clear attributes of a corrupt and dictatorial leader in his father, Mr. Gilson Saleshando, who is also the president of the BCP and aspiring to be President of the Republic of Botswana? Mr. Gilson Saleshando carries all known qualities of a dictator. This country will be cursed to have a president of his caliber.
There is so much hullabaloo about “Presidential directives”! But in all honesty, whining about presidential directives is nothing but political maneuver and desperate political tactics by the BCP to gain political mileage and recognition. Presidential directives have been there in the past, but surprisingly the BCP chooses to “see” directives for the first time during Ian Khama’s government. Apparently, his only sin is to have served in the army and chose the BDP over the Salesladies’ BCP. If, God forbid, Khama joined the BCP upon retirement would Saleshando shun him, given his obsessive hate of retired soldiers? Only Saleshando can answer that.
Seemingly, Dr Gobotswang, the Vice President of the BCP who somehow finds time to also teach at the University of Botswana continues to write vile mischievous and misleading articles about Khama and the BDP. One expects a university professor to rely on facts and not rhetoric. The other problem I have with partisan University professors is how they would mark scholarly papers which criticize their political parties. Anyway that’s an issue for another day.
Saleshando and Gobotswang thrive on doom and gloom and crave to be seen to care about Batswana while talking down on ex-soldiers. Every citizen of this country, including retired soldiers, is born with inalienable rights from God to purse individual freedom and happiness. They can only do so if their right to freedom of association is not rubbished by the Saleshandos.
What is the BCP saying to all former army generals who belong to their party? Are they saying they don’t need them? I have no gripe with all ex-soldiers who joined the BCP although I would rather they joined the BDP. However, unlike Dumelang Saleshando, I defend their right to free association.
*MacDonald Peloetletse, a former soldier is also a member of the BDP’s Culture and Publicity Sub-Committee. He writes in his personal capacity.
