The Secretary General of the Botswana National Front, Akanyang Magama, has warned those currently governing that time will come for them to stand trial for all the corrupt acts they are involved in.
Magama gave his warning when addressing a political rally at the Gaborone Bus Station on Thursday.
He said that an example of a leader who stood trial after losing power was Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia who is currently on trial at The Hague for what he did whilst he was president.
Magama said that the corrupt acts that some of Botswana’s current leaders are involved in include buying themselves furniture worth thousands and thousands of pula whilst they expect other Batswana to reside in small Council houses (that cost less than the furniture leaders buy for themselves).
This, he said, was a clear sign of corruption.
Magama said other corrupt instances are where the Minister of Defence and Security, Ndelu Seretse, is denying ownership of a company that has tendered in his Ministry saying it is his wife’s company when they are married in community of property, which means he co-owns it.
Magama also reiterated calls by other opposition parties in the country that the constitution be revamped to make it compliant with current times.
The constitution, he stressed, “has long been overtaken by events and is irrelevant and a disgrace”.
He promised that as soon as they take over the reins of power, they will make sure that the constitution is revamped and made relevant to the times we are living in.
The constitution, he said, currently allows for automatic succession to the presidency, which he lamented had made it possible for Khama to ascend to the highest office in the land.
Magama said that it was possible that if Khama continues in power then next in line for the presidency would be either Kitso Mokaila or Ndelu Seretse.
He said all this could be possible because of our current constitution and that is why it needs to be changed, adding that this is something that Batswana will no doubt be happy with “as even those in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party are currently not happy with the way things are going in the BDP”.
Magama then attacked Khama saying that he does not even have confidence in himself as he is doing all he can to dodge all important presidential meetings being held both in and outside Africa in order to avoid meeting other heads of state.
He said that instead of attending such important meetings, Khama sends his deputy, Momphati Merafhe, or Phandu Skelemani whilst he flies off to “useless” conservation meetings in the United States of America at huge expense to the taxpayer.
He further condemned Khama for having allegedly refused to sign the SADC gender protocol in Namibia, saying that it was a sign of disregard of the country’s women.
Magama said he is surprised that the few women in parliament have failed to take him to task over this.
