If reports doing rounds about opposition political parties’ intention to work together after the general elections are anything to go by, then the idea must be embraced by all yearning for change in the country’s political leadership. It’s a foregone reality that the opposition will not being going into the upcoming elections as a united bloc. It is also an open secret that opposition parties failed to unite, not because of any fundamental differences but largely due to the selfishness of the opposition leadership.
They allowed their personal egos to get in between what would have otherwise been a noble project that was readily embraced by the nation, or to put it correctly, by those who yearn for change. Signs are clear, the only way the ruling BDP can be ousted from power is only when opposition parties divorce themselves from this delusional hope of beating the BDP as fragmented entities. There are also clear signs that when united, opposition parties can topple the BDP from power or better still, bring a major upset in the BDP’s gains. Like I have already alluded, all opposition parties, that is the BCP, BMD, BNF and BPP speak almost the same language when it comes to discrediting the ruling BDP.
They all point to the same weaknesses found in the ruling party. They all advocate for the same things when it comes to promises found in their manifestos. In short, they speak in one voice. It is therefore not an unfathomable idea that they can work together. All they need to do is get their act together, act maturely and work together. Yes, they have failed to work together prior to the upcoming elections but that does not in any way create an unmovable fortress for future cooperation. The leaders of opposition parties just need to apply the spirit of selflessness and oneness. They just need to realize it is more about the people they lead and a lot less about themselves as individuals. I understand the opposition just needs to bag 29 or so parliamentary seats to take over the baton from the BDP.
There has never been an opportune time for opposition to attain that number of seats like it is currently. The BDP is at its weakest. The BDP has never been this vulnerable in the lead up to a national election. It is therefore not a farfetched dream to envisage the end of the BDP rule. There are rays of hope. This hope emanates from statements alluded to opposition leaders in the media. They all seem to embrace the idea of opposition coalition post the national elections, expected to take place this coming October. It has always been clear that the BCP walked out of opposition cooperation due to fallout between BCP’s Dumelang Saleshando and BNF’S Duma Boko. It would also appear the fallout was just on account of boys looking down on each other. It was personal and it cost opposition parties dearly.
It is therefore pleasing to learn the two gentlemen are now on talking terms. They are said to have smoked the peace pipe. One can only hope it will remain that way even after elections and that the two gentlemen now realize more than ever before how they need each other. Opposition leaders must stop fighting over positions. Once in power, they will realize there are so many positions of power that they will need to fill. There are plenty of political appointees that currently hold their positions due to their association with the ruling party and all these positions will need to be replaced with people whose allegiance lie with the opposition, should they now become the ruling party. What opposition leaders need to do right now is warm their members to this idea of coalition.
They should instill in their members a sense of selflessness and unity. We all know how opposition members embraced each other, until their leaders fell out. When Saleshando doesn’t embrace Boko, or vice versa, it is a given their followers will follow suit. It just takes Saleshando to tell his members that he cannot work with Boko and his followers will go with him without question. It will in the same breath take Saleshando to tell his followers that the biggest mistake they ever made was to disregard opposition unity. I am just using Saleshando as an example without necessarily implying he is the source of the fallout between him and Boko.
It may have been the other way round but really, that is not the gist of my message. All I’m trying to put across is, opposition leaders should put their past behind them and let bygones be. All I’m saying is opposition leaders should accept that the country can only have one president at a time and they all need to ready themselves to pave way for either of them. I am certain BDP can become an opposition party if the current opposition parties work hard and contribute as many seats to the coalition and relegate the BDP to the backbench.
[email protected] Twitter: @kuvuki
