MAUN – There is talk within Maun West constituency that member parties of the leading opposition party, Umbrella For Democratic Change (UDC) are not as united as they are elsewhere in the country. The talks were further cemented over the weekend when the Botswana Movement Democracy (BMD) members and those of the Botswana Peoples Party ‘visibly’ snubbed a politically held rally by the Botswana National Front in the constituency.
The rally, visibly attended BNF members only, was addressed by Member of Parliament for Molepolole North Mohammed Khan. The attendants strictly put on the traditional BNF regalia which are dominated by black and yellow colours rather than the known rainbow UDC colours.
Ironically, just a few meters from the freedom square, another event took place where area Member of Parliament (MP) Tawana Moremi was the guest of honor. This was despite an earlier announcement that he will be part of the panelists at the said BNF/UDC rally. However no explanation was made at the rally on why Moremi or other UDC members could not attend the rally. As if that were not enough, just less than a handful of Botswana Movement for Democracy members could be seen, thus fuelling talk that the two parties might be drifting apart now that they have started holding rallies without their associates, particularly in Maun.
Khama good for charity
Meanwhile while addressing the rally, Molepolole North Member of Parliament Mohammed Khan says the President, Ian Khama is an “innocent man” who lacks experience in politics such that he cannot even participate in debates.
“But personally I still want him to be president. Listen to me, I mean he should be president at the Red Cross because that is where he belongs. Every one of you here knows he is very passionate and good at giving, so he would be better suited at a charitable organization than to rule a country. Truth be told, this country is in a mess, all because we are ruled by someone with no direction”, he said.
Khan went on to say through its president, the ruling party has failed to avail the exact unemployment figures, saying the BNF has the official figures which will continue to grow if no action is taken.
He said Khama delights in the large amounts of money made through the alcohol levy, but has failed to establish the reason why there is too much alcohol consumption. He said “We are a very sad nation. The BDP has failed under this man. Even the past presidents were better than him. 80% of CEDA projects have failed, and we are yet to conduct a commission of enquiry why this is happening. His government is good at introducing schemes, but they never avail markets for people benefiting from their schemes. This goes to show they lack direction. I promise we will fight so that when we take over government in 2019 we would have tried to push the many agendas that the BDP has failed to implement”.
