I am beginning to doubt my sanity. I need an appointment with psychiatrists. I also deserve a sit down with counsellors. The way I get easily depressed at things that people have no problems with call for psychiatric evaluation. I mean, why is it that I seem to get worried about things that many Batswana seem happy about. Why do I get bothered by things that many Batswana don’t seem to give a hoot about? Why do I get so worked up at things that Batswana react indifferently to? In my observation, which I am now beginning to think borders on insanity, my country is going down the drain. I ask myself, am I just paranoid to think my country is going the Zimbabwe route?
Am I just crazy to think one day, and very soon, all the good that this country has long been known for, will only be seen through a peep down the dust bin? Why is it that I get very troubled every time I hear of how our leaders are looting this country, when a lot of Batswana seem to accept that our leaders have a right to misuse public funds? Public funds are being squandered left, right and centre. Civil rights are being eroded at a terrifying pace. Freedoms are becoming forbidden by the day. Anger and hate are slowly but abundantly being injected into our DNA. We have become slaves in our country and zombies to our leaders. We have become the servants to those who vowed to serve us. Our voices have been muted. Our leaders have plugged their ears from our loud cries.
They make us look like we are just visitors and this is their country. Their personal priorities over-shadow our national needs. They eat and throw crumbs at those who lick their behinds harder while the rest of us who are allergic to conformity are left to starve to death. I am worried and sad at all the aforementioned. My nation on the other hand is happy. I am embarrassed to proudly parade my nationality. My nation is however having a jolly time and flaunting their national pride. It is because of this disparity in view, that I think I am the abnormal one. Just recently, Batswana were infuriated and spent the whole week talking about a fake picture depicting our president semi-naked. Even those who never say a word on any issue finally got to open their mouths. Even the ones who never have an opinion on anything finally became opinionated. At the same time the photo was circulated, former cabinet minister and influential businessman David Magang had written a very thought-provoking and insightful article in one of the local newspapers. I had hoped what Magang had brought forward would elicit public debate because he had raised a national issue. Waii, my people just read his piece and put the paper aside. All they could talk about was a fake photograph that adds or deducts no value to their lives.
I guess you now understand why I suspect I could be abnormal. Magang’s writings had me thinking a lot because I thought his views deserved national attention. Khama’s controversial photo, while I must admit was distasteful, doesn’t make it in the list of my top hundred problems that besiege this (once) beautiful country. Ke gore, the things that worry my people so immensely are more often in the least of my worries. Batswana are silent even when told that public funds are being misused at Botswana Tourism Organisation but wait for their noise when someone makes disparaging remarks at those who misuse these funds. Either ke loilwe or Batswana ba loilwe. Since 2008, not even a single government project was commissioned and handed over on time and within budget yet my people still ululate when told at the Kgotla that they cannot get a clinic or primary school because there is no money. There is no money to build a clinic at a village yet there is P17million to open a tourism office in Dubai. Batswana will never ask about this twisted prioritising by their leaders. Instead, they would rather insinuate people like me who feel leaders must be held accountable are ill-mannered.
The parliamentary committee on statutory bodies and enterprises has been listening to deliberations from state-owned companies and it seems almost all of them are just making losses. Batswana couldn’t be bothered. Reports emerging from the ministry of finance suggest that our economy is getting weaker and weaker yet Batswana do not question the wisdom behind increasing more ministries and parliament positions in the midst of a weak economy. I am really scared for my country and I need to be helped so that I can start to see things the same way my nation sees them. At this rate, our leaders will start using public funds for toilet paper and my ever submissive and irritatingly conservative nation will not take them to task. Instead, Batswana will choose to frown at some of us who will ask questions. They will say we have not been raised properly to talk about the things our leaders use in the toilet. I feel sorry and sad for my country.
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