There is a Setswana idiom that says there is no house without a leakage. The literal meaning of this is that every household has got its own problems and challenges of various sorts, be it a politically powerful family, rich, highly educated or whatsoever. From afar, the Obama family appears to be the perfect family, the perfect model and the perfect epitome of American family.
Setswana idioms are rarely wrong and you would be shocked upon discovering that the Obama family comprises of human beings like me and you. That somewhere in that humongous White House, in that glamorous global status and awe, there is a leakage, meaning even the marriage is not as smooth as we perceive it. There are days when it is rocky, bumpy and clouded by darkness. Such is the advent and forces of nature.
The leakages do, however, vary of course but some are not leakages but are rather porous holes that do not require stoppages but rather complete reconstruction. The magnitude of the leakages can be quite dangerous, especially if left unattended to for too long.
Nations, like families are no exception from the phenomenon of this idiom, so are countries and continents and such is the world. Europe, the Far East and the US are no exception but Africa’s leakages are worse, it is cursed with leaders who harbour the silly notion that they are superhuman.
Before the establishment of the BMD there was not much fear of financing opposition parties, probably because the Directorate of Intelligence Services was not born then. Whether the allegations that the DIS monitors those who sponsor opposition parties are true or not is a discussion for another day but what do I know for a fact is that individuals and company directors alike are scared to hell about making contributions to the opposition parties, more especially foreigners who also happen to be having a much larger piece of the cake in as far as the economy is concerned. They would rather finance the BDP to extend their stay here if not to assume they are buying their citizenship.
I don’t blame them though, was I to be in a foreign African country I would also do the same. I am old enough to know the destiny of those who finance opposition parties in Africa and of recent Botswana is no exception. What is sad about it though is our democracy is being financed by foreigners in an imbalanced and unjust manner and that is my bone of contention. This alone translates to the jumble sale of our country, our democracy and our future to the highest bidder and sadly this is to the benefit of the chosen few and unscrupulous undeserving foreigners, and to the detriment of the nation.
We are not an African country from a different planet we must remember. We are a country from here on earth and will suffer just like all opposition parties in other countries have, unless Batswana in their own individualistic effort smell the coffee and stand up to finance the change that they so aspire.
There is no denying the fact that opposition parties have also been a disappointment but we just cannot afford to have a one party state.
It is now time to lay aside the bickering and battering between opposition parties that have in the recent past dominated our politics. I appeal to those Batswana, supporters of the BMD, BNF, BCP, BDP and the BPP to wake up to this reality if they seriously want to see a fair and effective democracy.
Security is very essential to our daily well being. We have alarms in our houses, dogs, security walls, fences and security guards to keep our lives and properties safe and all those come at a cost that we so proudly and willingly finance. That is secondary security. The primary security is what most of us are oblivious of, the political climate, democracy and good governance. Should we allow this to be compromised as is the case now and should we leave it in the hands of a few the price our future generations will pay will be unbearable. No amount of money will be able to restore or resuscitate it. It will take longer than the forty six years that the BDP has had in power. We just cannot afford to let our democracy go on sale.
The Americans, when debating during their campaigns, never forget that whatever manifesto, whatever vision they preach, is but for future generations. Always, their interest is rested on future generations. That is a vital aspect that we as Batswana should seriously take cognisance of. Most of the readers of this article will be parents or future parents thus what the future holds for our children should be of paramount and fundamental importance and a priority.
Twenty years ago, men of science did start forecasting global warming but the world disregarded their warning. For those who have been around for the last thirty years and beyond the reality is beyond dispute that global warming is now a sad reality.
At this point in time, the prophecies of opposition about a looming dictatorship, anarchy and an artificial dynasty are being taken lightly. Let us assume that it is all hogwash and that we are not headed for a dictatorship. Do we have structures in place to prevent that? Is our constitution cast in iron to prevent entertainment of such? Just take reminisce of the Gomolemo Motswaledi case and you will have the answer. It is so damn scaring to say the least.
Mabuto Sese Seko forced all television channels to precede all news bulletins with an image of him descending through the clouds like an angel from the heavens. To the poor who daily see their president distributing blankets when social workers should be doing that is an intention by Khama to implant in the minds of multitudes the impression that he is somehow Godly. Next he will be descending from the clouds too, like Sese Seko.
Many of you are working hard so that you invest for your future generations but just imagine if in twenty years to come we have a Zimbabwe situation and a Mugabe-like leading us.
We are living under a government that is against declaration of assets by the leadership and one wonders why someone’s immense wealth is being hidden here. The Botswana Development Corporation saga involves recklessness that has cost the tax payer hundreds of millions of pula but shockingly it is treated as if some rich spoilt brat has just spilled a glass of milk. Our house of legislature is on auto pilot, taking orders from a single person after wasting millions on an election. The Botswana Meat Commission, the one and only bread basket the ordinary Motswana survives and entirely depends on is imploding as we helplessly watch.
A friend of mine once said Botswana is not where it is because of hard work or some genius from its citizenry. It is actually by way of manna from heaven. For diamonds to be in abundance in this country it is only by God’s will. Unfortunately they say that God helps only those who help themselves. Are we helping ourselves? Are we not nearing a time when God will feel he has done enough for us and that it is time we help ourselves? Are we ready to help ourselves? From the seventies when diamonds were discovered in this country to date, besides infrastructure have we done reasonably enough for us to survive without diamonds? If the diamond market was to close shop when we wake up tomorrow do we have something to cling on to for survival? All those who are relying on their pensions upon retirement have you ever pondered on the thought of what would happen to you if the diamond markets crushed.
It is not a guarantee, but fifty pula a month is a drop in the ocean if it might protect your pension.
The tourism industry and the beef industry is the obvious that we would turn our focus on to but who owns the tourism industry, who earns the lions share from this industry; foreigners. The very same outsiders whom it is purported are the financiers of the BDP in order to continue having the BDP indebted to them.
The beef industry as we have learnt recently is in tatters. Sadly we have had poor rainfall this year and livestock has been under threat from poor grazing. Having cattle that do not have a market is tantamount to trying to sell frozen ice cream without a refrigerator. The inevitable is before you can even sell the ice cream it will have all melted. It is time for government to open doors for cattle farmers to sell their cattle outside the country. But because we are living in a pseudo democracy, the BDP led government is all aware that all this will not threaten it stay at the helm as we shall foolishly continue to say “a e jeke kwa”.
This recklessness, this ineptitude and this pompous arrogance is a bright neon sign that says this is not democracy, that says this democracy has a lose cable somewhere along the line and that missing cable is none other than the finance of democracy.
God forbid, but I bet that these four opposition parties each have more than two thousand of their followers who can afford to contribute at least fifty pula a month towards the party. How many of us out there can afford to part with fifty pula a month to finance our democracy, over fifty thousand. That would amount to P2,500,000, meaning at least half a million to each of the opposition parties, MELLS included.
With half this money we may not assume power but we will certainly keep the BDP on its toes thus why can’t Batswana sacrifice for their sake, for their children’s future? Whom do they expect to finance their democracy?
There is this old song that says there is no romance without finance; I say there is no democracy without finance. I am very unselfish in my humble request to you to finance democracy, whether you donate to the BNF, BCP, BPP or BMD it doesn’t bother me, so long as you are financing democracy.
Batswana, the ball is in your court; you either swim or sink!
