Prepaid politics
It’s common cause that ruling parties are accused of attracting opponents by promising and offering them lucrative business opportunities and positions in government. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has lately been accused of buying opposition
FRANCISTOWN: Government is a mover and shaker of the economic, social and political development in Botswana. The private sector and individuals are ‘parasitic’ to the State.
Political commentators are adamant that corruption is rampant in Botswana and politicians are desperate due to the hardships they face after the elections. Some of them (politicians) reports show that are heavily indebted and therefore, any salvation by the State is a welcome development. Politics of the belly is blamed to have a culture in our polity more so that government has lucrative tenders and procurements opportunities.
The ruling BDP reportedly exploits these ‘processes and practices’ to attract desperate and desolate opposition members. But, the BDP finds any such reports as far from the truth. Political commentators claim that this practice has been implemented since 1966 as a deliberate strategy by the BDP to stay in power.
University of Botswana (UB) political and administrative studies lecturer, Adam Mfundisi this week even suggested that time will attest to these perceptions and allegations.
“Anything done in darkness will one day be revealed,” said Mfundisi adding that it’s possible that some politicians were promised some lucrative deals or positions to defect to the ruling party. He picked the case of the Shoshong legislator, Aubrey Lesaso who recently shocked the masses by defecting to the ruling BDP.
“This can be buttressed by his (Lesaso’s) inability to furnish his voters with concrete reasons for defecting to the BDP, a party that abhorred this treacherous behaviour,” Mfundisi said about Lesaso. In his view, opportunists claim that by joining the BDP will propel developments in their constituencies.
He dismisses this as a fallacy insisting that otherwise, “MP Liakat Kably’s constituency could be better than other constituencies as he is the Chief Whip in Parliament and a longstanding member of the BDP.” Politicians in Botswana pursue their interests at the expense of their electorate, it has been suggested.
The UB lecturer says the BDP has institutionalised that culture where MPs owe their allegiance to the party and leadership but not the voting population. He claims that the BDP trapped Tonota MP Pono Moatlhodi by offering him an acting appointment to speakership. “BDP MPs wanted to show him (Moatlhodi) that he is welcome to the BDP as opposed to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) that relieved him of his chief whip position after allegations of gender based violence. Possibly, Moatlhodi affectionately known as PPP was promised that the case will be quashed or not pursued,” analysed the UB academic. He also indicated that the BDP has a track record of attracting opposition members who are faced with court cases and such cases do not see the day in court
. This strategy, he claims, has worked in the past and the BDP is emboldened by its attractiveness to desperate opposition members. Mfundisi posits that PPP has never morally left the BDP. He said the maverick politician joined the UDC out of desperation because the BDP leadership regarded him as a loose cannon and a liability.
He even suggests that PPP was forced to leave the BDP partially as he had previously lost to the incumbent, Thapelo Olopeng in the BDP primaries in Tonota. To him, PPP is a politician who loves limelight and an opportunist of note. Again, “PPP is a cheerleader worshipping those in power in return for favor.” “The way he praised the current President whenever he speaks in Parliament, showed his appetite for power and position of influence. By appointing him the acting Deputy Speaker, the BDP signaled its intention to woo PPP,” he says. He adds that BDP politicians understand PPP better than opposition forces. As for Lesaso, he says many people were shocked by his defection as he has been articulating issues affecting his constituency and party very well. He suspects he has been either promised a lucrative tender through corrupt practice or ministerial position in Cabinet.
“He looks like an opportunist who values his personal life rather than the interests of his voters. This happened on the background of an anti-defection legislation presented by the BDP. BDP MPs demonised defection practices by politicians. We all heard and read the debate in Parliament on the motion of defection by politicians to other parties,” the political analyst emphasized. As for the Francistown-West MP, Ignatius Moswaane who recently defected from the BDP to the UDC, he says he had a rough experience in the BDP because of his beliefs and commitment to his electorates. He describes him as an ethical and conscious politician who stands for his ideals no matter the consequences. Overall, he credits Moswaane as a patriot who stands for righteousness and a God-fearing politician. “He was persecuted by the BDP because he stood up for good governance and the interests of voters. BDP lacks intra-party democracy where members are not allowed to use their conscience in debating national issues,” he defended Moswaane’s defection. With respect to Jwaneng-Mabutsane legislator Mephato Reatile,” the truth needs to be told. He had never adapted to the BDP processes and practices. He is a product of a progressive movement, the BNF which has been promoting intra-party democracy.”He accused the BDP of tending to destroy talent as it promotes patronage rather than meritocracy in its processes and practices. He noted the vitriolic attack on the floor-crossing practice by BDP members as loud and clear. Now, for an MP to defect to the party that denounced such actions as treacherous and treasonable baffles one’s mind. How MPs vote on issues in Parliament along partisan line irrespective of the quality of the proposals, Mfundisi is adamant that it attests to lack of conscience on our representatives. The party system practiced in Botswana according to the UB lecturer is detrimental to democratic governance. He added that the anti - defection law will worsen the relationship between MPs and their voters. “Money in politics has destroyed representative democracy. Politicians serve the interests of their sponsors and lobbyists.
Private wealth seeking behaviour is detrimental to the democratic ideals,” insisted the UB lecturer. Political corruption claims the political analyst “is rampant in Botswana because the State is the most powerful institution. State - society relationship is asymmetric, and the ruling elite are the strongest force in Botswana.” He describes President Mokgweetsi Masisi a cunning politician playing his cards closest to the chest. He points out that the floor-crossing bill was presented as an urgent motion, but the President is stalling its assent. To him, political expediency is the answer and that Masisi is hoping to woo some opposition members to give credence to his party.
The defections, he says, will not prolong the life of the BDP and instead suggested that a recall system could have been included in the bill to empower voters to institute such actions if they felt betrayed by their representatives. He buttressed this point by indicating that some BDP MPs are deadwoods who need to be recalled for their mediocre performance. BDP spokesperson, Kagelelo Banks Kentse dismisses the allegations of his party buying desperate politicians from the opposition. The BDP’s position as articulated by the chairperson the ruling party’s communications subcommittee is that in politics recruitment never stops. He finds it amazing that legislators Reatile and Moswaane who recently defected from the BDP to join the opposition, Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) respectively, were heroes when they left the BDP. “They were credited by opposition pundits. Now, when we get from the opposition people are labeled sell outs and people are being bought, it’s simply hypocritical,” said Kentse. The BDP man described the BDP as a very attractive party under President Masisi and that’s why, “some can leave opposition and join us. He (Masisi) is a very open and welcoming leader.” Kentse encouraged the opposition collective to practice what they preach which is freedom of association. He emphasized: “It’s not only a right when it comes to opposition recruiting from the BDP.
As the BDP you might have realized that we always wish some those who defect from us well as compared to name calling, insults and vilification those who leave opposition and join BDP face.” But, Botswana Congress Party (BCP) veteran politician, Michael Dingake at least has heard about it and spoken to someone who was given a fee for his recruitment from the opposition. “I have heard about it and that money is used in politics to buy those who are in financial dire straits,” said the 92-year-old retired politician. When he was an MP, he used to hear much about the power of money in politics.
He indicated that sometimes people become stressed financially and the BDP normally knows and they approach vulnerable individuals. Although he couldn’t put his finger on any particular case, Dingake cited a case he once honestly revealed to him his circumstances without mentioning names. “This politician was honest in our discussion when I asked him how he was doing at the BDP. Apparently, he was not satisfied as people could not keep their promises at the time.
He was instead given a meager P1000 and this rocked the boat,’ said the veteran politician describing a 2010 incident. BDP party elder and the longest serving secretary general, Daniel Kwelagobe has poured water over allegations that his party was fond of buying politicians to its side. To the best of his knowledge, suggestions that the BDP had a budget for buying their opponents were simply figment of the imaginations of the BDP’s nemesis.
“Those people that we attract to the BDP simply follow the party’s philosophy and attractive policies as we continue to serve the people. There is nowhere money features as we don’t have money to splash in the first place,” was all the 77-year-old BDP veteran could muster in an interview this week.
RYDER GABATHUSE