Awo shem! Poor Joyce! I feel sorry for the Malawian President Joyce Banda who tried to hitch a ride from President Ian Khama but was turned down. American President Barack Obama is said to have invited some African presidents, among them Joyce Banda and Ian Khama, for a meeting at his office in America this month-end.
Ever since she assumed the presidency, Malawian President Joyce Banda has not acquired a presidential jet for herself and therefore relies mostly on commercial flights and often asks for rides from fellow African presidents whenever she needs to travel outside her country, especially to far flung places like America.
When she assumed the presidency, Joyce acted like a ‘good girl’ and decided to sell the presidential jet that was used by her predecessor so she could raise money to help the poor in her country. She said she didn’t want to be seen to be living an extravagant life when her fellow citizens were blanketed by pauperism.
Some fellow African presidents like that of Nigeria have always come to the rescue of Banda and have on several occasions provided her with air transportation. Joyce Banda must have therefore thought all African male presidents were ‘gentlemen’ and, as a woman, all African male presidents would be sweet and loving towards her and spoil her with whatever she requested from them. Poor Joyce!
Joyce will be visiting Botswana this month-end and her visit here ends on the same day they are supposed to leave for Obama’s meeting in America. Joyce therefore thought, well, since she’ll be in Gaborone and Khama has also been invited to the same meeting in America, she would ask Khama to give her a lift on his presidential jet. She found nothing wrong with travelling with Khama. She must have thought the trip would allow them ample time to discuss a lot of bilateral issues concerning their two nations. They are both presidents, after all. Their countries are almost neighbors, both coming from the SADC bloc. So, all that Joyce was trying to do was being ‘neighborly’. She wanted her and Khama to do things ‘presidentially’ in the OK1 as it pierces through the clouds on way to Washington. It’s not every day that a man would turn down a request from a woman. Joyce must be shocked. Khama has refused to allow her to set foot in his presidential jet. This is the same jet that Khama happily availed for Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at some point. It must be devastating for Joyce to learn that Tsvangirai, a not so good looking man, got favors from Khama when she, a woman who is as beautiful as our own Linah Mohohlo and Mosadi Seboko, couldn’t get the same treatment from Khama.
But wait a minute. Khama did not really refuse to fly with Joyce Banda. The explanation from the Office of the President is that Khama will not be flying to America. Yes, President Khama won’t be part of those African presidents who are going to meet the American President. I know everyone wants to know why our president will not be travelling to the US to meet the most powerful and influential president in the world. Calm down. President Khama is fit to fly. President Khama has all the resources needed to take him to America. President Khama will not be getting married on the dates scheduled for the Obama meeting. President Khama will not travel to America because he has more pressing issues to attend here at home. Yep! Khama has to attend to some issues here that are more important than Obama’s meeting. Pressing issues? Well, we all know what constitutes ‘pressing issues’ in Khama’s presidency. I dare anyone to challenge me when I say on the same day that other serious African presidents will be chewing the fat with Obama, our president will be at some tiny village doling out blankets in this scotching heat. When other serious presidents will be discussing pressing issues with Obama, Khama will be, mostly definitely be in the Letlhakeng constituency campaigning for his political party when he should have been in America campaigning for the whole nation. Obama’s meeting, it has been reported, will focus on issues such as development, democracy and other issues that are of importance to African nations. Well, for Khama such issues are far less important than his appearance at some village here in Botswana where he would be alighting from a BDF helicopter to mesmerize the villagers and become ‘guy of the moment’.
Khama has no problem flying to America and Brazil to attend board meetings for Conservation International, where he seats on the board in his personal capacity and not as president of Botswana but is brave enough to stick out the middle finger to Obama when he invites him for a meeting, not as Khama the conservationist but as Khama the Botswana president. A lot of pressing issues that needed Khama’s intervention have happened here in Botswana but he remained indifferent.
Now when it is time for him to represent us at international level, Khama chickens out like a teenage girl summoned by a bunch of boys. It’s about time Botswana had a president who can represent their interests at international forums. Khama has become president of the rural Botswana and as such we need a president who will represent the entire Botswana. It is very clear Khama wasn’t lying when he said he is the Union President of the unemployed people in rural areas. Shame on you Mr President for turning down a meeting with Obama.
