Behind every act of mutual resentment that led to a position of Leader of Opposition falling vacant lies a deep seated but still to be admitted immaturity among all parties involved. For the few weeks that he was Leader of Opposition, Dumelang Saleshando put that title to good effect, including addressing Kgotla meetings, before he was halted by cabinet, and his of?cial car impounded. We may blame him for all sorts of offences, but Saleshando’s effectiveness as Leader of Oposition was beyond reproach It must have been terribly infuriating for Botswana National Front and Botswana Movement for Democracy that a person who they fought high and main to stop from becoming a Leader of Opposition was afterall doing such a good job of it. That can be the only plausible reason for their rash and brash decision to remove him. Whatever the reasons, was it in the best public interest to remove Saleshando when it was clear to both BNF and their BMD handlers that such behavior will render the position vacant? Or was removing him the be-it all-for BNF and their BMD friends? That if they would not have the position to themselves, then nobody would have it? If that was so then what had become of common sense and pragmatism? From where the ordinary member of the public is seated, it has been an act of supreme irony that opposition Members of Parliament, whose man tasks include holding the executive accountable, have, with their eyes wide open opted to walk into a trap that has brought the country into a situation where parliament now has not a face with which cabinet can confer should the need arise.
We are very much aware of the circumstance under which Saleshando himself had ascended to the position. His ascendance was somewhat untidy and self- serving. But removing him the way BNF and BMD did is not only cold-blooded murder but is also a basis upon on which these two parties can now qualify to be classi?ed as more extremist and more reckless than BCP. This is because not at any moment did the BCP seek to render the position vacant as is currently the case. We have always known that like many of our politicians, our opposition Members of Parliament are less dependable. But still this scorched earth behavior by both BMD and BNF has once again reminded all of us just what huge challenges lie ahead as opposition parties struggle to win relevance and gain public trust. With no Leader of Opposition to talk of, the BDP is in a stronger position now to once again remind the public that “there is still no alternative.” In a way they will be right.
While very plainly our cabinet does not want to share democratic space, so too is exactly what he is happening with our opposition parties in parliament. More to the point, allowing the position of Leader of Opposition to fall vacant is not something that should happen in this era of low public con? dence in opposition parties. In so far as the removal of Saleshando from position of Leader of Opposition had nothing to do with, BDP then all blame should squarely be laid to the opposition doormat. Viewed pragmatically, it would easily appear that rather than allow the BCP to occupy the position of Leader of opposition, both the BNF and the BMD are all too happy to have a BDP that does as its pleases for that is exactly the outcome of their recent behavior. Both BNF and BMD members of Parliament should tell the nation just why joining their new UDC franchise had to be such an urgent thing especially when it was clear to all that delaying it would serve the interests of the bigger picture in so far as it would not have plunged the country into a current mode of helplessness.
Across the board public con?dence in the stability of our opposition politics remains shaken, and behaving in a manner that they did where there is currently no Leader of Opposition is hardly a great way to restore that con?dence. Not for the ? rst time, the behavirour by our opposition Members of Parliament, with tacit instruction from their parties outside parliament has put the entire opposition project under an implosion watch. As a proponent of strong opposition and an unrepentant believer in the ef?cacy of a united opposition, I still cannot for a minute ?nd a reason to pardon the BNF and BMD behavior against the Botswana Congress Party. The BCP behavior to stay out of unity talks has in my opinion been reprehensible and wholly indefensible. But to punish them by way of removing them from being of?cial opposition while that simultaneously renders the position of Leader of Opposition vacant is in my opinion counterproductive as it is vainglorious. There is nothing wrong with opposition parties differing, but in doing so they also must appreciate that there are certain universal things on which they have to agree, not least because such agreements advance each of the parties in however parallel ways towards exuding an air of relevance and electability in the public mind. They may differ on the person, but allowing the Leader of Opposition to remain in place at all time is one such thing that we should not be teaching our opposition parties.
