Reports coming from Mahalapye say the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) President, Ian Khama, made some announcements about the envisaged salary increase for public servants. Infact I watched him on national television over the weekend as he told his party followers that as all public servants will be getting a 3 percent salary increase come September, the increase will not be extended to Members of Parliament (MP’s) and councilors. He was speaking at the BDP congress where delegates endorsed a compromise leadership as opposed to a democratically elected one.
Khama says as leaders, they have decided to exclude themselves from the list of benefactors of the looming salary increase. In his statement, Khama used a plural personal noun, ‘we’, probably to indicate the collectiveness of agreement on that decision. In other words, and as I understood him, the decision to exclude political leaders was agreed upon by a collective political leadership.
Khama never mentioned that he has instructed that MP’s and councilors be excluded. The interpretation I made from his announcement is, as MP’s (Khama and his cabinet ministers included) and councilors, from across the political divide, they sat down and agreed to forgo their right to benefit from the salary increase. He said as leaders, they decided to lead by example.
I have not sought any confirmation from MP’s and councilors as to whether they, indeed, collectively and unanimously agreed to be excluded. I didn’t confirm because I don’t believe the President can lie to the nation. As such, I take his word for it. But I still don’t understand why MP’s and councilors are acting fake. They know they need the money and I don’t know who they are trying to impress.
I am shocked at this gesture of benevolence displayed by our political leaders towards government. In these hard times where the cost of living escalates everytime you blink, it is surprising for anyone to say “no thank you” to an offer of salary increment. Besides, we all know that our political leaders do not earn any decent salaries. Infact one of the MP’s once said the way government pays them peanuts, parliament will only attract monkeys. Unlike cabinet ministers and the president, who enjoy free transportation and accommodation when they tour constituencies, backbenchers dig deep into their pockets to reach to their constituents.
Unlike the president who receives houses and blankets from big companies so he can in turn distribute to people and increase his popularity, MP’s have to use their personal money to help the needy in their constituencies. I often feel sorry for these MP’s and councilors because it is very clear their constituents do not understand their role as leaders. Whereas they are voted for so as to become the voices of their constituents, it appears people feel once they vote for an MP and councilor, these representatives must shoulder all personal needs of their constituents. Councilors are expected to avail their personal vehicles during funerals. MP’s are expected to personally finance projects in their constituencies. Even though I blame our political leadership for cultivating this culture of enticement prior to elections, I cannot stop to feel sorry for our leaders when they are now expected to maintain their level of assistance even after the elections.
The long and short of my argument is, our MP’s and councilors are in dire need of money just like all the service servants. They are deserving of an increment and as such I would want to urge them to stop acting big and accept the 3 percent increase. Indeed President Khama does not need the increase because he has nothing, really, to spend his personal money on. The government takes care of all of his needs, including paying for his ‘friend’ when he accompanies him outside the country. Ministers use their positions to make political trips disguised as official trips. I can confirm that when ministers want to make personal or political trips to their constituencies, all they do is plan an official trip to that area and then attend to political matters thereafter. So really, I don’t understand why ordinary MP’s and councilors were fooled into believing it’s a sign of heroism to turn down salary increment.
There are so many things that Khama, if he wants to prove his sincerity of leading by example, could have done. Starving MP’s and councilors of money is not one of those things. Khama should show his patriotism and go for a year without a salary because he doesn’t need it afterall. Khama’s annual salary can make a difference to government revenue and that is what he should donate and lead by example. It is him who can afford to survive without a salary, not MP’s and councilors. Khama should lead by example and stop travelling abroad with personal friends at government expenses.
There are so many useless projects that government can shelve if indeed they are serious about saving government money. Not increasing MP’s and councilors’ salaries is not one of them. Even if indeed our political leaders agreed to this non increment, surely they did it to please Khama and to shine before the public while they suffer in silence. As we have already witnessed, through that well choreographed short drama which was shot in Lobatse, Khama can afford to travel around carrying cash which he has no use for. How many of our MP’s and councilors can afford to go around carrying P500 in their pockets and ready to donate to villagers?
What surprises me with Khama is, even as he wants to portray himself as a philanthropist, almost everything that he donates to people does not come from his personal purse. He collects blankets, food baskets and houses from companies then it appears as if they are directly from him. I would not be surprised if that P500 which he donated to a woman in Lobatse didn’t come directly from him. I bet one of his bootlickers must have availed the cash for Khama to shine on Btv and Daily News.
MP’s and councilors should not feel ashamed to demand salary increment. It is not greed to demand what you duly deserve. MP’s and councilors should never be afraid of being labeled vultures because they are not. They have worked hard to be elected and if anything, that person who sailed through to the highest office in the land through the efforts of MP’s and councilors could be the real vulture.
