This past week, the ruling delegates at the Botswana Democratic Party Special Congress went to extraordinary lengths to avert what could easily have turned out to be its greatest leap back into darkness.
The delegates had been effectively asked to surrender their party to one person and move it as close as possible to an absolute monarchy kind of apparatus.
The delegates have rejected the requests made of them and for that we are happy for them.
Perhaps without knowing it, the delegates have done one of the greatest services to both their party and our country.
By rejecting to give the party president some of the insanely extensive powers that were asked of them, the delegates, at least for now, have magnificently saved what little remains of Botswana’s rich democratic heritage.
We have, on numerous occasions, pointed out that excessive executive powers are not in anybody’s interest, not even in the interest of the very people who are coming up with such heinous proposals.
We have, on numerous occasions, warned against BDP’s drift towards Imperial Presidency.
We have, on numerous occasions, pointed out that, as it is, the President of the BDP, who is also of the Republic, enjoys too much powers.
We have lamented the erosion of separation of powers.
We have decried the tendency by a few self seeking BDP members to play on the fears of Ian Khama to sideline and backbite others.
We have, more importantly, asked Khama to rise above his deep seated paranoia and show faith in the democratic institutions.
This week we salute the BDP delegates for their foresight and courage.
And we do so with no shame.
It is not yet clear why any sensible politician worth his salt would, to start with, have come up with a set of proposals as those that were put before the BDP delegates to endorse.
An attempt has been made to justify these draconian proposals as meant to induce stability within the party.
No attempt, however, has been made to point out where in would lie the checks and balances in the case of those powers falling in the hands of an individual who, fallible as the rest of us, could be tempted to abuse them.
Just to summarise the proposals put before the delegates for approval; they were asked to give the party President a blank cheque to hire and fire at will.
The delegates were also asked to extend the mandate of the party Central Committee from two years to five.
Now that is crazy to say the least.
To start with, why be explicit that the President can henceforth summarily expel or discipline members? Why be suspicious of sharing power, separating it and spreading it across structures and other elective positions.
One would hope that, under rationale situations, as the most senior person, the President of the party already has those powers.
The BDP should be careful not to create monsters out of their presidents.
They should do everything to ensure that laws created are not made whimsically.
Laws should treat all people equally.
They should never be crafted to please one person, only to be changed when that person exits the scene.
By its very nature special dispensation for a select few is inherently dangerous, not to speak of its undemocratic nature.
We are happy to see that the BDP delegates were able to see through all these and rose above their usual desire to please certain powerful people inside the party.
We advise the BDP members to be always vigilant and to always ask probing questions on these kinds of things.
They should not allow some within their ranks, who have ulterior motives other than the growth and nourishment of democracy, to call the tune.
Zimbabwe is where it is today exactly because a small group of people were always too happy to give one person, Robert Mugabe, all the powers, including those that under sane societies are reserved for God.
The result is that today Mugabe is so powerful that the very people who were at the forefront of the campaign to give him more powers do not even know how to deal with him.
Worse, the powers that they gave Mugabe years back are today being effectively used against them.
The ruling party in Botswana should be careful not to follow the Zimbabwean route.
Once again we say to the BDP delegates well done and always remain on guard.
Never allow a few sycophants to ruin a country that has become synonymous with democracy, separation of powers, transparency and accountability.
