Long before Gomolemo Motswaledi’s untimely death it was clear that Batswana had become more divided than at any point in our history.
It was also becoming increasingly clear that those objects that had previously united us had either been eroded or were getting weaker.
Any claims at national unity were either acts of irresponsible embellishment or in some instances outright lies.
Those who pretend that Botswana is as united as ever are people hanging to feelings of yesteryear nostalgia.
The fact that such feelings are still held by some of our people is on its own a good thing.
The fact that some people still cling on to such nostalgia, given what onslaught this country has been through under the present regime,  goes to underscore the strong foundation on which this republic was created.
Were the foundations not so strong the entire country would by now have long revolted.
Particular blame must go to President Ian Khama who has, without fail, proved what a divisive figure of history he really is.
It is our heartfelt opinion that Khama failed to use Motswaledi’s death to rally the nation to unite.
Instead he used the death to further drive a wedge between those who support him and those who disagree with him.
From early on after Motswaledi’s death was announced it was clear that all the state machinery were being braced and indeed marshaled for a collision course to an extent that conflict and confrontation became not only inevitable but also guaranteed.
President Khama’s mention of Motswaledi in his speech was not to offer condolences; not to Motswaledi’s family and certainly not to Motswaledi’s followers. His mention of Motswaledi was to provide himself with a stub with which he could get even with his detractors, not least those in Motswaledi’s camp who hold Khama’s government at least partially complicit in Motswaledi’s death.
Motswaledi’s death has provided proof, if any was needed, that Khama is a divisive figure.
How could it be that in his statement to dissolve parliament Khama could make no mention of the late Julian Nganunu who had died a few days previously and who as Chief Justice had presided over the inauguration and first swearing in of Ian Khama as State President! This can certainly not have been an oversight. It was a deliberate omission. An omission which confirms and validates our view that Motswaledi was mentioned, albeit in passing so that Khama could try to exonerate himself and his government from the vague “scandal” to which he made reference.
We call on our people to move against their leadership to establish what elements could lead to national reconciliation.
We do not need self-seeking politicians for us to achieve that.
Afterall we have since time immemorial allowed coexistence as ordinary people.
We do not need divisive politicians to show us the way. In two months time this nation will be headed to the polls.
It is our view after what happened over the last two weeks that we need reconciliation more than we need elections.
The two, we note are not mutually exclusive.
But we want to call on our countrymen to give more impetus to a process of national reconciliation.
