Former Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Margaret Nasha has said President Ian Khama is an angry man whose decisions are based on emotions.
Speaking at a rally to welcome her into the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Nasha said Khama wakes up in the morning and implements some ideas he dreamt about in the night not considering how that will affect the country.
Nasha used the event to hit back at President Ian Khama who had described her as an old woman who is power hungry at a recent Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) youth league conference.
Khama has also stated that they did Nasha a favour when they appointed her in some top government positions. These positions included being a specially elected Member of Parliament; appointed Minister and being the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“After I took a decision to leave the BDP and decided to join the Umbrella for Democratic Change I said it on radio that I will not provoke anyone but I also stated that whoever is going to step on my toes I will deal with them accordingly,” said Nasha.
She said she only wanted to speak politics of unity but President Khama decided to step on her toes.
“Whoever pokes me does not understand me. There are few in politics that can stand against me, you are playing with fire if you are going to step on my toes,” she said to a loud applause from the crowd.
She accused Khama of going around telling people that she is hungry for power. Nasha said she was shocked at Khama’s utterances because she wrote in her book that if one is not ambitious in life they are as good as dead.
She said there is nothing wrong with seeking any position as long as one is qualified.
“What is wrong if someone seeks a position? Am I not qualified to be a State President? In fact I qualify twice because I went to school and secondly I am a Motswana by birth and descent,” said Nasha.
Nasha bragged about her educational achievements and took a swipe at President Khama who she described as a least educated person.
“Remember at the beginning of the republic the Constitution stipulated that one qualifies to be a President of the Republic only when they are Motswana by birth but as time went on the Constitution was changed to accommodate the Khamas,” she said.
Nasha said the Constitution was then altered to include “by descent,” adding that if the Constitution was not changed Khama would not have been the President of the Republic.
“He even failed at school but he still rules this country, some of us passed very well at school and we finished our schooling. Boko, Ndaba and Saleshando deserve to be Presidents because they went to school and the presidency position suits them,” said Nasha.
She said she occupied all the positions she held before because she was qualified not because someone was doing her a favour.
“Small minds talk about people, big minds talk about issues, so we must differentiate between us and them,” she said.
Nasha also told the Sunday Rally that their campaign for 2019 has already started and they are going to shake this country.
“I am going to go around this country and when I do that Khama will understand that I am still capable,” she said.
Why Nasha left BDP
There are many reasons that made Nasha to leave the BDP among them being that Khama’s rule is based on emotions.
“We do not want someone who will wake up in the morning and start making their own decisions. He never takes time to look deep into issues,” said Nasha.
Another reason why she left the BDP, Nasha said is that when one is a member of the ruling BDP they are not allowed to question decisions made by Khama, a culture that she failed to follow.
“I questioned his decisions that is why I was hated in the BDP. Khama must remember that this is a democratic country,” said Nasha.
When Khama left the Botswana Defence Force to Join politics he killed the debates within the ruling BDP. This is the third reason why Nasha dumped the BDP.
“There is no debate within the ruling BDP, Khama came from SSKB and killed the debate within the ruling BDP; before he joined politics we were debating issues and we agreed on decisions as a collective. Currently there is fear among members of the BDP. Even in the past people did not fear their chiefs as it is currently happening in the BDP,” said Nasha.
Members of the ruling BDP are said to be pinning their hopes on 2019; they are hoping that the current Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi will be a better President but Nasha said she had no time to waste on Masisi who calls himself a son of a bootlicker.
“If you are a member of the ruling BDP how do you know that change in 2019 is going to be change for the better? I don’t think so, I analysed the situation within the ruling party and I see zero. You should worry when seven people battle for the presidency position,” said Nasha.
The book that Nasha wrote titled “Madam Speaker Sir” broke the camel’s back. According to Nasha the sour relationship with Khama worsened after she had launched her book.
She said Khama did not like it despite the fact that he had never read it. Nasha said the country does not have a plan as the Economic Stimulus Programme is coordinated by the office of the President instead of being coordinated by Finance Ministry.
