Tourism sector: Aluta continua…

A couple of days ago ( last year) I am sure we were all tired of saying that the year 2020 was marred with unprecedented times, full of uncertainty.

Nevertheless, compliments of the new season! We have made it to 2021, with various reports about the new mutant COVID- 19 strain, curfews, and possible lockdowns – here we stand. It seems COVID- 19 is here to stay, I am not too sure on issues of a cure or vaccine as this is influenced by various conspiracy theories that continue to fly around. Alas! Until a cure is found I will continue to wear a mask, sanitise, and stay home as much as I can. This pandemic has turned our lives around indeed, at the end of the year 2020 globally countries slowly re- opened their borders for travel, but this unfortunately came with ‘ drama’ specifically being the spread of the new mutant strain.

This opening of borders amongst others was in accordance with the predictions made by the World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO) with the contribution of the members of the Tourism Crisis Committee based on international tourist arrival scenarios for 2020 founded on the dates of gradual re- opening of borders, the time has now come, we are where we are. While we are where we are, we all must remain cautious when it comes to travelling and we should try to at least stay within our respective areas to keep this pandemic contained. While we are not sure of any lockdowns coming to Botswana, domestic tourism remains one of the ways that restarted the tourism industry in 2020. Safari Tourism picked up significantly and this can still be seen through social media posts at present. This however seems to be spiralling into some sort of mass tourism within the national parks. Large volumes of tourists seem to be flocking the national parks, particularly the Okavango delta. This is clearly moving away from Botswana’s Eco- Tourism approach of Low Volume High Value within such sensitive areas. With the intensified mobile safaris in the past few months, it is clear that this is the birth of mass tourism within wildlife areas. As the industry tries to focus on returns from tourists, very little attention seems to be invested in managing the disadvantages or negative impacts on the environment. There is suddenly an undeniable influx of tourists within the northern areas of Botswana. This beckons for decision makers to nip this issue in the bud. Noise pollution, safety management, environmental degradation among others are a growing concern that comes with the intensified visits within these areas. At present ecotourism, which is tourism that is conducted responsibly to conserve the environment and while building environmental awareness, seems to be challenged by mass tourism within wildlife areas in Botswana. There is a need to find alternative ways to grow the industry to manage this. We can see that the type of tourist in Botswana has changed significantly with no choice but to find activities within their vicinity, examples being that some spent Christmas on riverbanks at their rural homes with their families. This change in the type of tourist is calling for the expanding of product offerings – that could reduce mass visits to pristine wildlife areas, ones that are inclusive of the various communities within the country. Before COVID- 19 tourism product diversification was a top priority in Botswana, while it does still remain a top priority, at present it is often challenged by a perceived lack of recognition of tourism products or of sub- branches of tourism that can be lucrative for the average Motswana. During today’s unprecedented times one can only imagine the kind of future that this pandemic predicts for the tourism industry – the future seems bleak.

However let us not despair. While we might not know what the future holds, it is time to diversify tourism in our areas of residence. Township tourism or urban tourism has opportunities for those who are bound in such areas, the heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business have unlimited potential. These diverse tourism offerings also include shopping malls, museums, several art galleries and heritage sites. Staying Covid compliant and safe is the only thing that can stand in the way of tourism from now on in such spaces. The show must go on. But it must go on safely and responsibly – that is our saving grace, 2021 is here, let us practice sustainable tourism practices … Aluta continua.

Please allow me space in your newspaper to comment about the recent party defections and their implications for the Opposition.

Firstly, the defections. Dumelang Saleshando and his Umbrella for Democratic Change [ UDC] have fiercely opposed the Floor Crossing Bill, one reason being that councillors and even some MPs have threatened to leave the BDP for the UDC. Hence such MPs would now join the ranks of the UDC. However, once the Bill is signed into law, such MPs will now have to resign their constituencies and obtain a fresh mandate from the electorate.

The Floor Crossing match between the BDP and the UDC began well for the UDC. Right from kick off [ when Boko asked, before the 2019 elections, Ignatius Moswaane to leave the BDP and join the UDC] their players were on the front foot and there were many goal attempts which were on target [ rumours of BDP MPs and councillors threatening to jump the UDC ship].

As pressure mounted against the BDP, it was only time before they would score. And so they did – seeing the weakness in the BDP defence, Ignatius Moswaane scored an early goal for the UDC [ he is now UDC MP for Francistown West]. Score UDC 1 BDP 0. Growing in confidence, the UDC team kept pushing forward in their attempt to put the game to bed. But against the run of play, Pono Moatlhodi surprised the UDC back four by scoring the equaliser close to the end of normal time [ he is now BDP MP for Tonota]. Score UDC 1 BDP 1. Now it was game on. Sensing that their goal was a possible game changer, in stoppage time [ the Parliament Christmas recess] the UDC players were completely taken by surprise when Aubrey Lesaso found the back of the net for the BDP [ he is now BDP MP for Shoshong] just before the final whistle [ the signing of the Bill into law]. Score UDC 1 BDP 2.

So up to now one BDP MP has defected to the UDC whilst two UDC MPs have defected to the BDP. So Saleshando’s opposition to the Floor Crossing Bill has backfired on him.

Instead of all defections being from the BDP to the UDC, things have not quite worked out as expected for Saleshando. Now floor crossing has taken place in two directions, from the BDP to the UDC and also from the UDC to the BDP. So Saleshando cannot complain when UDC MPs find a new political home. Maybe he is now getting worried that the BDP players will sneak in a last minute goal before the final whistle blows – but of course, he would not admit that. Gone now is his rhetoric and continual criticism of the ruling party in pushing forward the Bill; instead he might even now be wishing that the Bill be signed with immediate effect!

What should now be of concern to Saleshando and the UDC is that Moathodi and Lesaso were both BNF members; hence now there remain only two BNF MPs in Parliament. I would definitely agree with UB academic, Leonard Sesa that the BNF is dying and might not even survive much longer in its present form.

And yet it’s still one of the two main players in the coalition. But the BNF could now become more and more of a liability in the UDC than an asset in coming years. Why is this so?

Firstly, internal bickering between members in the BNF. And any election for the top posts in the BNF is likely to be explosive – there are simply too many who have big egos, and personal egos are at stake here.

The President of the UDC and the BNF, Duma Boko, is also often criticised by some party elders for the way in which he leads his party; hence he himself may become more of a liability in the BNF. And in recent days, some BNF members have put all the blame for the problems besetting the UDC and the BNF squarely on the BDP. They say that the BNF has always been a threat to the BDP and so the BDP wants to weaken their party. So is it fair to use the BDP as a convenient scapegoat for all the Opposition’s problems? Now it seems that some in the BNF are still living in the party’s glory days when, in the 1994 general election, they won 13 constituencies in the then 40- seat parliament. But times have drastically changed since then. With only two MPs in Parliament now, what would the BDP really gain by weakening the BNF which is now so weak that it cannot pose any real threat to the ruling party? In fact, one might say that the BNF is now all but dead and buried and likely to go the way of the dinosaurs. Obviously, some BNF members have very short memories! Boko and his BNF need to wake up, grow up, and face reality.

The fact is that the problems facing the BNF are of their own making and Boko needs to accept much of the blame. If not, then the party’s problems will continue and worsen and result in its final demise. As the Bible says in Proverbs 16 v18, ‘ Pride comes before a fall.’ Secondly, conflict between the BNF and the BCP.

Since it has been in existence longer than the BCP, and the fact that the BCP is an offshoot of the BNF, means that many in the BNF camp regard their party as the senior party in the coalition and hence most of the nation’s electoral candidates in the 2024 elections should come from their party regardless of which party in the coalition has the best chance of winning constituencies. The two parties also have different ideologies – whilst the BNF is much more socialist, the BCP is more for a free market economy.

And many believe that the relationship between Saleshando and Boko is fraught with tension behind the scenes and is not as it should to be.

So they may make uneasy bedfellows. Now all these problems may lead to many voters no longer respecting the UDC and so they may regard the party as not fit to form a future government. And that might result in further humiliation for the UDC in the 2024 general election. From this, what is now the way forward for the Opposition? For the Opposition to be a credible political force in this country, the BCP needs to pull out of the UDC and go it alone. Freed from all the interparty bickering, it will then become stronger so as to pose a real threat to the ruling party in future elections. And the future UDC – composed of the BNF [ if it’s still alive and kicking] and the miniscule BPP – will probably lose ground due to the likely growing dominance of the BCP. But only time will tell; for the BCP to leave the UDC may be easier said than done!