Given the gravity of allegations of assassination plots and existence of political hit lists it is altogether surprising that up to now the Police have not seen it fit to call those making these allegations for questioning. We are of the view that Police involvement would put the matter to rest, once and for all. Such involvement would not only allay fears of public uncertainty and anxiety but it would also expose acts of chicanery if any such exist.
It is utterly regrettable that at a time when the country should be focusing on important things like preparations for elections, we find ourselves in a sordid situation where acres and acres of space of public debates are being devoted to these allegations. We note with concern that the preparedness of Independent Electoral Commission to conduct proper elections is as an upshot of it all currently off the public agenda even as there is enough evidence that things are not moving as smoothly as was to be expected.
Registration has not followed the trajectory that the IEC had set for itself. There is all possibility that out of the 1.2 million who were targeted to register at the end of it all we would fall short by close to 400 000. This should be of concern to all of us. Then there are ever present dangers of rigging. These too have been relegated to the backburners. In the meantime we are fixated on directionless talk of assassination and hitlists the veracity of which the Police have not seen fit to establish much less make a pronouncement on.
The situation has been made worse, by disconcerting behavior on the part of ruling Botswana Democratic Party activists who instead of joining the public by insisting on evidence from opposition leaders making such allegations have succumbed to cheap point scoring drive which saw some of them expose their naivet├® and immaturity when they literally lied that leader of Opposition Duma Boko has been pestering President Khama wanting to join the BDP. Clearly this malicious and cheap propaganda by BDP has been authorized either by Khama himself or somebody who feels they have the President’s authority on their side to go public with it without risks of having to personally account for the misdemeanour. That is immaturity at its worst. And it goes to the heart of the credibility and integrity of the Office of the President. As a nation we should be ashamed that we have sunk to such depths.
We want to advise President Ian Kama that the Office of State President is a very important institution whose credibility should never be left to the whims of journeymen often seen running after him and surrounding him who also happen to control the BDP executive. The office of State President is a national institution which at all times should serve the interests of all Batswana including those that differ with the incumbent President at any given time. For the record, Office of the President is not a party office. Rather it is a unifying symbol which under no circumstances should be used for divisive, cheap and partisan politics such as what has been happening over the past few weeks.
For President Khama to allow his charges to tell lies with their eyes wide open that Boko tried to join the BDP when the truth of the matter is that it was Khama himself who used (abused is a more appropriate term) the Office of President as a venue for recruitment is an unpardonable act of immaturity, irresponsibility, pettiness and childishness on Khama himself. Going back to our opposition leaders, we want to remind them that if indeed there are grounded suspicions that anybody among them is in danger of physical harm on account of their political beliefs then the best route to follow would be to approach the Police.
Of course we say this with great diffidence, well aware of credibility deficit that our police suffer when it comes to handling politically sensitive matters such as this one. Which now leads us to address the Police, who are by the way the gist of this commentary in so far as it relates to allegations of assassination plots and hitlists. The police, and by this we make reference to the national commissioner should be ashamed at the lack of urgency his charges have approached the different but related matter of Costa Kalafatis shooting by security agents.
On this matter the Police Commissioner has failed to provide leadership expected of him and his office. The police behavior has not been reassuring. An opportunity has been missed by the police to prove that they can be trusted by all people, including those who are opposed to the regime. While still there, the Commissioner is a man who by our taking is still to prove his true worth and suitability for that position after ascending under a mysteriously thick cloud of doubt and intrigue when people who had been clear candidates for position of National Police Commissioner were systematically dispersed out of the service just when they were about to take over. These included Kenney Kapinga who has since become a diplomat.
And Ikotlhaeng Bagopi who has since become a Permanent Secretary, a territory where perhaps not surprisingly he too is taking inordinately long time to assert himself after spending all his life as a career police officer.
