Foul-mouthed, insensitive and condescending, Sonny Serite is an unpleasantly unique character. He is infamously remembered to have penned an article in which he used the word “foolish” to refer to President Ian Khama. He also characteristically stated in one of his columns that Minister Shaw Kgathi’s actions are a clear sign of ‘bodela’, (stupidity or foolishness). He ridiculed Dr Coma Serema and Mr Thato Kwerepe about their noses, and we await Serite to explain how that is relevant to the problems of this country. This is the nonentity that contemptuously called Kgosikgolo Kgafela Kgafela “this guy”, that’s blasphemy. This pint-sized hooligan has insulted many senior people in this country; many will not forgive and forget.
Most people I have met who read his column think that he is ill-mannered and consequently extraneous. Mr Serite uses abusive language because he thinks it is funny, and wants to be famous. He totally understands how foul it is and knows it is unacceptable. It is not because he doesn’t know synonyms, he just can’t be bothered trying to write properly. It’s preposterous, so many words yet Serite has to choose the ones which are insulting. The truth is that he doesn’t have a valid point of view; he thinks that by using such loathsome words he is “closing” the discussion. Choosing words appears to be a laborious task for Serite. Usually when he writes an article he insults people in a manner that clearly suggests he has nothing to offer. He is either bereft of ideas or simply has no manners. He fears and detests constructive criticism. If he thinks he wields monopoly of insults then he is clearly mistaken, Batswana are talented in many respects. The other obvious misconception Serite sadly holds is that we are not smart, and we don’t know English. Ntuane’s speech is not ambiguous.
Someone must have misled him about his command of the English language, that he is the best, that he writes better than anyone. He is not even able to articulate cogently if you listen to him. His contemptuous attack on Dr Serema’s academic standing hurt many, and it would be interesting to know Serite’s academic standing. Many of his victims of foul language have never bothered to respond because they fear for the worst. A few have suggested that physical advice would keep him quiet. His foul-tasting, demeaning and scathing attack on BCPYL should not go unchallenged, lest he misguidedly thinks that he is invincible. Mr Serite had the audacity to call us “crazy” and “mad” simply because we asked his party leader Botsalo Ntuane to step down as leader of opposition in parliament. Whilst we understand freedom of expression and freedom to hold opinion as salient in a democracy, we are also concerned by the manner in which he uses his column to insult and hate, using the BMD as his fortress. Nobody knows the position he holds at BMD, and to be honest I don’t think people are interested. The People whose mental acumen is well below par, always hurl insults for they don’t know any other way to put their views across.
It is high time we spoke the language he understands. You see, Serite is a nonentity in politics. He is therefore unqualified to pass malevolent judgments on the BCP or its organs. His sanctimonious or rather holier-than-though attitude is not necessary. Serite can’t look the truth that BCP is a force to reckon with in Botswana politics; this truth dazzles him with its bright headlights. The political trajectory we traversed is there for all to see. BCP is a stable, highly organized and the fastest growing party in the country. We boasted 11% popular vote in 1999 to 16% in 2004 and 22% in 2009. We have held the BDP, which you claim to have been part of, I assume in the periphery, accountable. We have reported Ian Khama to the Ombudsman, Ndelu Seretse to the DCEC and we have issued numerous Democracy Alert position papers. Our ideals are clearly espoused in our Democratic and Development Program of 1999, our election manifestos of 1999, 2004 and 2009 and other policy documents.
At the BCP, we do not simply hero worship, we give credit where is due, and this applies across the board whether you are President or branch secretary in Maun. We have not been euphemistical on any issue; we have always called a spade a spade not a big spoon. A leader of Opposition who got their position with the help of other opposition parties in parliament should express an opposition view, not just his party’s position. We can’t baby-sit the BDP; it is not our political strategy. BCP with its structures such as the Youth League is a political colossus and we don’t need Serite to affirm that. Batswana are the ones to judge us. That we oppose everything is an obvious lie. On the Nandos circus, I think the truth is, it was Serite who could not afford Nandos and settled for Magwinya. The BCP has all classes of people; those who afford anything they wish for and those who can only afford Magwinya like Serite. We laughed off at the BDP Youth Wing invitation to play social soccer because the problems of this country are monumental; we wish BDP government with your help could invite us to a Sports Pitso, Youth Pitso and ALL Party Conference. We wish BDP government could call a Constitutional Conference which would include all stakeholders.
None of my comrades has suggested that they wish to be like Malema, I suspect having being invited to Johannesburg recently you now wish to live an opulent life like Malema and afford Nandos.We have agreed with Malema on some issues and we have disagreed with him on many others. Serite is a political novice, a debutant and a nonentity in political circles and opinion market place. At the BCP we don’t know him. Serite’s articles are unscholarly, petty and without merit, my honest advice would be for him to go to school and become a better social or political commentator. One can establish a prima facie case of political thuggery on Serite’s part. I am not a psychologist but I think Serite may perhaps be diagnosed with ‘short man syndrome’; the obnoxious, chauvinistic and arrogant attitude often exhibited by some short guys like Serite seemingly as an attempt to make up for their short stature. I regret having stooped to your level sir.
Keorapetse is BCP Youth Vice President. He writes in his personal capacity
