We would like to salute all peace loving Batswana across the breadth of this beautiful nation. To all those who participated in the past national civil service strike, right from the Presidents of the five civil service unions to the foot soldiers in the trenches and gullies of servitude, we implore you to raise your fists in unison to peopleís power. Power to the people! To all of you patriots who fearlessly seek peace and prosperity, may you find strength in the knowledge that in your collective no one man can bring you to your knees.
Your patriotism which all self-seeking eccentrics questioned was tested and has passed the litmus test unequivocally throughout the past 12 days. In your discontent you invariably demonstrated profound levels of maturity. No one lost their lives on account of any unsavoury act on your part except of course from government beastliness. No infrastructure built from our sweat and toil was ravaged. This reminds one of the adage, ìif a man wants to be great then he must ensure that his reach far exceeds his graspî. You aptly demonstrated your greatness throughout this period by being law-abiding and God fearing citizens. Hopefully the government will not abuse this.
Comrades and all peace lovers, peace is not the lack of civil bloodshed or violent uprisings. Peace is the presence of prosperity, self contentedness, freedom from poverty, freedom of expression and freedom to fearlessly opine on issues of national concern. That is peace. So for some holier-than-thou hothead to tell you that by standing for what you believe in is unpatriotic only serves to demonstrate their dictatorial wantonness. Remember comrades, an American patriot once remarked about America, ìthere is nothing wrong with our democracy except for only one little imperfection.
Every four years we elect god to be our Presidentî. Sadly for all of us patriots in Botswana we donít enjoy such luxury. Probably this explains why we are in this mess where a President can hold an entire nation at ransom and its business as usual.
As we trudge on our walk to freedom, let us not succumb to workplace bullying from supervisors who are too eager to enforce laws of repression. Stand tall with the full knowledge that you will never walk alone. We have power in our numbers. BOFEPUSU has taken the pledge of honour to be your protector even at a time when the independence of the judiciary in this country is becoming more and more suspect. Allow not yourself to be intimidated by anyone. Stand together, for a lone soldier is a marked target, comrades.
Please understand that all is not lost after the past Fridayís Industrial Court land mark judgement. The war against slavery is not over yet. We need to stand firm in our resolve to make the employer and government to start treating us with respect. We have to reshape the policies, politics and economics of this country. Be mindful that we are dealing with an unscrupulously savage enemy of workers. So, when you are called to the murky trenches of your salvation heed the call in massive numbers, for workers of Botswana you have nothing to lose except your chains of servitude. Do not sell yourselves short. You are worth more than the thebes you get for your labour. Itís not an ease game working for a heartless master, comrades. Comrades, hatshe leno la rona. We will fight to get it back. This is the time to act. This is the time to take back our heritage, our freedom, our livelihood, our dignity and sense of pride that they have looted.
Down with regimes of repression!!! Down with servitude!!!
Power to the people!!!
*David Keagakwa is a member of the joint BOSETU/BTU Publicity Committee.
