I hate to sound alarmist but I find it irresponsible to suppress views I hold so strongly or play dead on issues of national concern. It seems clear to all citizens that Botswana has changed tremendously since Khama’s ascendance to the presidency. It is a fact that change is inevitable and some of it unpredictable and undesirable. Thus, change must be influenced into what we want it to be.
This means moving from a passive state of just watching things unfold to taking some action that would enable us to utilize the change to create an outcome of our own choice. In all probability, events since April 2008 point to the demise of the old Botswana ÔÇô the Botswana state that was established in 1966 characterized by institutional proficiency, political tolerance, economic prosperity and so forth. I read that the life expectancy of a republic averages about two centuries.
Independent Botswana is roughly 50 years old yet it is already having its date with destiny. It is time for Batswana to admit that Botswana is dying and its death is being fast forwarded by an impatient, self-centred, pompous leadership and a numb and indifferent citizenry. To be precise, the post 2008 political leadership has achieved the remarkable feat of precipitating a doomed economy and a fated education that breeds passionate beggars and proud destitute persons. Suffice to state that Ian Khama was roped into the leadership of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to root out factions that were devouring the party.
Thus, President Khama’s relevance and usefulness was confined to the narrow interests of the BDP hence beyond that he has been a liability. The decision to recruit President Khama from the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) was motivated by a narrow BDP agenda which meant overlooking expertise, competence and experience from within the party in favour of a Khama name. The relevance and application of the Khama name to the BDP’s survival took precedence over the nation’s interests. Thus, the desire by the then BDP leadership to root out factions in the BDP far outweighed their determination to do what is good for the nation. Their willingness to pander to party interests has been a recipe for Botswana’s tragic disintegration.
Frankly, the BDP leadership is more concerned with securing victories against the opposition than positioning the country for economic prosperity hence their decision to look for someone who could boost the party’s fortune instead of someone who would probably be better at handling the national economy. It is now customary that major decisions are taken in the interests of the BDP first and foremost. The problem is that this pre-occupation with party interests has been a guarantee for a failed state.
The leadership, past and present, is more worried about BDP problems than they are about unemployment, power and water crisis, poor school results, and so forth. The BDP and its government continue to marginalize people who exhibit top notch leadership credentials and possess the experience to propel Botswana to greater heights in favour of lethargic, comatose and small minds card-carrying members of the BDP hence Botswana is failing everywhere. It has been stated that change is inevitable hence it is not really the fact of, but rather the kind of change that we have come to witness which has actually rendered Botswana a hostile and generally derelict state. Nation states are required to occasionally reengineer or rebuild themselves to extend their lives but in Botswana focus is only on rebuilding the BDP.
The things that extend the life of a republic are remotely taken seriously hence Botswana is doomed. The BDP big shots with the responsibility to manage our economy are busy with their private lives, building their retirement and holiday homes while the country is experiencing crippling power and water shortages. They are busy positioning their family members in strategic institutions to vanguard their personal and family interests.
Since they are virtually conflicted, their leadership has put the country in dire straits. It has never been the case in Botswana that the state could stoop so low as to be bailed out by private individuals. The revelation that President Khama’s privately owned airstrip in Mosu would be availed for use by the state is frightening and is exactly what defines a failed state.
The moment a sitting or former president is more resourced than the state to the extent of helping it out signals the end of times. The revelation that there are numerous privately owned dams on the Gaborone dams tributaries while the country is drying up means that sooner than later the state may have to buy water from these kleptocrats to secure water for other citizens.
In the long run the functioning of the state would be dependent on the willingness of wealthy individuals to share their wealth or avail their resources for the benefit of the rest of the citizens and we are almost there. My apprehension is based on definite issues such as a hopeless legislature with a majority of MPs who fit the description of the walking embodiment of a parasitic brainwashed human species and a Cabinet that is made up of political junkies who occasionally forget their duties and names yet are full of themselves. Then we have hungry and angry civil servants who are controlled by an imperial presidency that is enthusiastically dishonest, vindictive and sadistic. The courts are expected to pass impartial judgments yet many have nefarious agendas hence the judiciary is tainted so much that these haunted-looking justices in their wigs are no different from elegant honourable crooks.
Then it depends upon the citizen to act because we choose our representatives and only we can remedy these ills but a majority of the voting citizenry are bereft of brains, weak-willed, have no concept of civic responsibility and are willingly ignorant of everything that matters in life. When all these issues, challenges and concerns are taken together and the truth has to be told, Botswana is doomed and continuing with business as usual is not an option. Once a republic is corrupted and decayed, there is no possibility of remedying its faults. Blame game aside, what needs to be done is to start over again.
I often ask myself how bad things have to be for us to act decisively!!
