PREGNANT MILITANTS
UDC’s Petrol Bomb, Matonkomane expecting their first baby But won’t tone down on blatant speech Feminism is not hating men Baby Daddy is a politician
Twenty-six year old fiery political activist, Resego Kgosidintsi of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), better known as ‘Petrol Bomb’, is pregnant and looking forward to being a first-time mother.
She is excited but anxious at the same time. She is not sure what to expect but certainly cannot wait to hold the baby in her hands.
She will protect her baby with all her might. As the clock slowly ticks away, reality is finally sinking in that she will soon be someone’s mother.
“Being a mother is taxing - financially, psychologically and physically.
One can never be fully prepared for it but once you learn that you are pregnant I think the desire to be a mother skyrockets,” Kgosidintsi said.
But she is not all happy.
“It has been a journey of many emotions, primarily because I am not able to enjoy my private space without people making varying comments about my pregnancy.
“They are asking why I got pregnant whilst identifying myself as a feminist.
“People have a wrong idea of what feminism is. Many tend to think it is about hating men and it is not, feminism for me is about women’s choice and fighting in our own corner. “It is about embracing things other women choose even those that you would not necessarily do yourself,” she said. Expounding further, she said there are feminists who want babies and those who want to get married, while there are those who are just not interested in either babies or marriage. It is tough being a woman in politics she
said. People have patriarchal expectations on the woman. They get shocked to see a mother at political rallies but are never shocked to see a father there.
Kgosidintsi is lucky to have a supportive man in her corner. Not just any man but a politician.
Twenty-three year old Karabo Matonkomane of Lotlhakane West is head over heels in love with Kgosidintsi. He cannot wait to father his first child and is so hoping for a baby girl.
“I was raised by a single parent and I do not want that for my child. I want to be a present dad. A dad who is present throughout the child’s upbringing to give my child all the love, care and support they will ever need,” he said
The young couple started dating in 2019. “My woman is firm and fragile at the same time and that is what I love about her. Most importantly she is resilient and absolutely relentless,” he said.
Kgosidintsi added that being a mother will not in any way soften her up, as long as Botswana still experiences injustices of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and youth unemployment amongst others.
She vowed never to tone down her blatant speech. If anything, she will become more brutal because she is advocating for change.
She hopes her child turns out like her parents. “We are radical political activists, we have both been to holding cells for our activism and even suspended from university for varying counts and not allowing injustices to happen under our watch.”
Matonkomane said it would be nice if the child followed in his footsteps but they will not force politics on him/her.
“I will not choose politics for the child and we will protect them from political wolves by ensuring they live a normal private life, away from politics and politicians up until they are grown enough to decide what career path they are taking,” he said.