Just over a week ago an otherwise little known athlete Isaac Makwala succeeded to unite the nation in a manner that no politician in our country has ever managed to do. While in London to compete, Makwala was subjected by athletics authorities there to what amounted to discrimination and humiliation. Under some of the most vague and most flimsy reasons Makwala was denied to run a race he considered his flagship. Following pressure from Botswana Government, and as all hope for him was receding Makwala was later forced to run by himself against some of the toughest conditions. Alone and in the rain he was made to run against time in a track full of water paddles.
Other athletes had already been allowed to finish a race without him. The odds were all against him, but he went on to qualify for the next round. This captured the imagination of the entire world. Not since Mpule Kwelagobe won the Ms Universe contest has the attention of the whole world been fixated on Botswana as id did as a result of Makwala. What Makwala did goes way beyond just athletics and individual grit. It should be a reminder of just who we are as a people, especially the values we stand for that have made us different that unfortunately we are the ones destroying. There used to be time when as a nation we relished our unity. Not any more. We now take our national unity for granted. In a totally unitended way Makwala has reminded us who we are as a people. Over time we have grown to emphasising divisions and differences within ourselves. Anger and growing vilolence seem to be the driving forces in our public discourse. There is no courtesy. And certainly no spirit of community building. The unity that Makwala brought has over a few days has put to the bare, deep fissures and acrimony in our society. Following the Makwala saga we need to reflect and use it as an opportunity to us why that is the case. Our people especially politicians are eager to capitalise on the public appeatite for self hatred. Why is that the case? The South Africans for example are lucky they still have desmond Tutu who is their voice of reason and moral authority. At the moment Botswana does not have an equivalent of Tutu to be our moral beacon.
The tragedy is that opposition leaders are not an equivalent. Either they are self obsessed or they see nothing wrong going on radio and starting to use obscene language that is demeaning to other people; a radio station that is also listened to by young kids. Public humiliation of such institutions like judiciary where u have judges beong forced to publicly apologise and grovel to politicians also plays against the values we have always stood for. Tit for tat and too much violent rhetoric is all over. Political parties are formenting tension and nobody is holding them accountable. They are breweries of suspicion and mistrust. There is nothing wrong with political rivalry but what these partie are doing amounts to formenting enemnity. Our country is undergoing a subtle rupture presided over by politicians who are capitalising on the current weaknesses in our economic and social makeup Consequences might with time prove irreversible Partiotism is always a powerful tool for national pride and unity. Makwala reminded us of just that. In an unintended way the athlete reminded us of an appalling lack of grace in our politics. Bloodletting anger often spewed on social media inflames a vicious cycle of hatred that leads to violence. In Molepolole a councillor literally headbutted another. Activists from same parties were recently fighting each other. We know what happened in Bobonong. We need concerted national healing. The trajectory that our politics has taken makes them fertile to be controlled, infiltrated and get manipulated by gangs and drug lords posing as political leaders Why have we grown very unaccommodative of one another? Why is there so much dehumanising one another? Why are we aways looking for someone to blame? Why is there so much underlying tension?
For a few days Makwala offered some answers. Social media has been converted into an emblem of the difficulties we face. Our opposition parties especially, have for years now been providing cover for some of the most abusive elements within their ranks. Some of these elements who stand for everything that is against our values as a nation have been used as attack dogs by some in leadership positions. They are like private armies for these leaders. Very much the same way that political leaders in Kenya for example created militias to do their bidding in post election escapades. Its not like these opposition leaders do not know about the existence of these destructive elements. They know about it very well and encourage it all because for now they think it suits them. They use academic arguments of free speech as an excuse for not taking responsibility to talk agaist this destruction of the values for which we stand as a nation. Instead of using the social media to preach inclusiveness we use it to divide ourselves. Our politics are on a state breakdown. We would have no reason to worry were our values not at risk. Makwala’s saga has offered the nation for a revival opportunity. The athlete has given us another chance to circumvent the ignominy that our politicians, including crucially the opposition are driving us into.
