WHAT WOULD SERETSE SAY?
On Wednesday (1st July) the country celebrates Sir Seretse Khama Day, with this year’s national holiday marking the 99th anniversary of the great man’s birth.
Botswana’s first ever President and the founder of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Seretse, ruled the country from independence until his death in 1980, succumbing to pancreatic cancer shortly after his 59th birthday.
It is now 40 years since Seretse’s untimely passing; much has changed since then.
To mark this special day in the calendar, The Voice’s CHRISTINAH MOTLHABANE
dragged her tiny frame onto the streets of Francistown to find out if the people think Sir Seretse Khama would be happy with the country Botswana has become.
KEFILWE MODISE
I do not think Sir Seretse Khama would be happy with Botswana’s current situation because we are in the Covid-19 era.
He was in power in the 20th century and the world has changed rapidly since then! But anyway, regardless of Covid-19, Seretse was not going to be pleased as his own son has left the party he founded; even worse. Ian defected to form his own party!
The other thing he was not going to like is Ministers like Moswaane who are constantly attacking the ruling party along with the opposition parties.
The way things are in terms of employment, I wish children could delete that mentality of saying when I grow up I want to work for the government. Instead be entrepreneurs; that could put Botswana somewhere!
BRIAN GRACIANO (27)
He would not be happy for Botswana at all.
The way things are currently, it’s as if the world is coming to an end! Even the President is not leading people the right way. So many people are unemployed. They say there is no money while on the other hand chunks of Botswana money is being stolen. Corruption in our small country is rife. Also, when you get in the government offices seeking help, they don’t assist with love, they are rude and lazy!
Things have really changed for the worse. Sir Seretse Khama, the way he was, he would not like to see his people suffer.
If things were done well, Botswana could be a rich country because we have diamonds.
TSAMODIMO VALELA (26)
Our forefather was going to be hurt looking at the way his people are suffering. He wanted Batswana to be educated, which we are but now there is no employment.
Sir Seretse Khama, what I have read about him, he was a good person. The way government is currently doing things, giving tenders to their friends and families, is really painful. For a Motswana to be successful is when he engages a foreigner who is also going to end up cheating us anyway! Population wise, Botswana is a very small country; deals should be transparent so everything becomes clear and there is no room for cheating and corruption. Some countries could be benchmarking from us.
ERIC MOLEPO (69)
Khama would be thrilled to see that Batswana are educated as he wished.
During our youth, the schools were few and many could not attend. Khama tried by all means to ensure that every Motswana had access to an education. He was a down-to-earth man who loved his people. He did not like when people fight, he wanted people to solve their problems and move on. This is one of his legacies as no one has ever been killed in this country because of their political beliefs. Of course, Batswana do have arguments but normally end up solving their differences peacefully.
The thing that was going to annoy him is people who disseminate false information and it looks real thus inconveniencing other Batswana.
GAGOOPE PHALALO (27)
Botswana is changing into a bad country. Money goes missing and corruption is growing at an alarming rate. All this would not please Sir Seretse Khama.
What he was going to like is that education has improved and many are educated even though there are no jobs.
I wish there could be developments for youth, not for them to go to school and get certificates only to come back and sit at home without work.