Minister Mmusi must go, he’s failed the nation - BMD
Extrajudicial killings on the rise
The Botswana Movement for Democracy ( BMD) has called for the resignation of Minister of Defence and Security Kagiso Mmusi from the ministerial portfolio.
The call by the BMD comes following the killing of two innocent people in Gaborone during an alleged shoot- out between the police and armed robbers. The BMD says it has observed with great disappointment the resurgence of extra judicial killings in this country. BMD President Nehemiah Modubule stated that the crisis seems to be going on unabated and the Minister does not seem to care.
Is it because sometime in February the Minister gave the police a blank cheque when he told them to fight crime in whatever manner they deem fit, he wondered. According to Modubule the BMD would like to state categorically that they do not support the policy of ‘ shoot to kill on sight’. “We believe that wrongdoers must have their day in court especially when they are a creation of the state. The Botswana government is driving every young and fit to work person to thuggery by not providing jobs and its failure to create unemployment fund. “We condemn the killing of innocent people under the pretext of fighting crime. We expect those who carry guns to be trained well enough to know where and when to use guns.
“We today mourn the death of those who lost their lives under this reckless state hence our calling for the Minister to go,” the BMD leader stated. He indicated that Botswana is regarded worldwide as a free country and that means its people should be able to walk freely in the streets without fear of being shot at by those “we expect to protect them.” “If we fear our own police how then are we free as a country? Let Batswana exercise their freedom without fear. The BMD would like the government to implement a motion that was long passed by parliament calling on the formation of an independent Police Complaint Commission.
“This organ is very necessary for we cannot go on to have the police investigate themselves,” Modubule argued. The BMD President noted that cover up is very possible under the current arrangement. Most democracies, he said have such bodies such as Zambia and South Africa. In a statement, the police have indicated that the duo was shot dead alongside three ( 3) armed robbers as a result of cross fire. The armed robbers allegedly attacked and robbed a G4S cash- in transit motor vehicle of an undisclosed amount of cash and a cellphone