HOW IS CHANGE EVER GOING TO COME?

If the opposition Members of Parliament support the idea of MP salaries getting increased, are we sure we are not dealing with chameleons? A headline somewhere says “Kgotla meetings allowance will earn MPs an extra P7, 839? So if a Specially Elected MP like Minister Kgotla Autlwetse goes to Serowe and ask “his” Chief to behave, he is going to make P7, 839? There are a couple of very interesting themes that develop from my question. The themes are:

1. Change. So despite the increasing costs of living, it just makes perfect social and economic sense for the people we vote into office, including the opposition MPs, to put themselves first and not “genuinely” oppose such moves? If the opposition MPs worry about their pockets as well, do we foresee the “change” we seek so bad?

2. Democracy. Kgotla Autlwetse sits right in the eye of the current national storm and our country has plunged into turmoil all because of egos, carelessness, selfishness, lack of empathy, lack of good judgement, lack of patriotism, and lack of vision. I guess where I am trying to get to is that the man was “democratically” voted out. The man then got voted right back in by an “unelected” President. Then the man being a Mongwato is assigned to head a Ministry that oversees “Bogosi.” Think about this. From the events here, you can get a sense that democracy can work if recognized, because had the man not been “specially elected,’ none of this would be happening.There are many things to talk about, but the theme I want to focus on is “Change.” The other day I had a heated debate with my cousins and friends, because we talk about national issues on a daily basis. It is crazy because everyday there seems to be a pop up issue affecting how we live, breathe, sleep, and wake up to see another day and we are forced to take sides in situations where we have seen our leaders become so irresponsible. For instance, the KhamaMasisi situation is a product of irresponsible leadership and both men have to be condemned because their situation is not at all about us. Love them all you like, but we do not benefit from their rift. They are all to blame because they served together. We are still here talking about them four years after Masisi took over from Khama. What about us? “Change” can also take one of these two men who have served together to say:“Batswana, we are truly sorry for selfishly leading you this way. We have ‘served’ and ‘led’ together. We are to blame for the current look of our beautiful country. We have disturbed the priceless peace of our country; the peace that has been our national pride and bedrock ever since Independence. We have been very very irresponsible with our behavior as role models. We are going to sit and resolve our situation as a matter of national urgency so that we can prioritize national interests; your interests. We are truly sorry.” Obviously these men have clouded the direction we need to be going. For that, it has even become hard to try and see how the current President is achieving for the country, which is why I would like to extract the theme “Change” out of the conversation so that we focus on what truly matters… “Change.”

I have noticed that every time we share a concern, most of the responses we get “casually” say: “We need Change.” I ask… “What do you mean ‘we need change?’”

The responses: “We need a change of government. We need to remove BDP from power.” From these responses, I cannot help but notice that I never hear: “We need a change of attitudes, which includes ‘voter attitude.’”My point Batswana is that “change” does not necessarily mean a new Government. It means “changing how we think changing how we do things.” It means having in office fit-for-office new people who put you first, because “your life is not trial and error.” On the morning of Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 07:00 am, I shared a quote saying, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Dr. Wayne Dyer.We still have not changed how we look at things, because as voters, we love our political parties like football clubs; yet, a voter is not even a leader or a politician. You are a voter; listen and judge without bias and hire (vote) accordingly. You are the boss.

MY POINT:

1. If you like Khama, listen to him, analyze him, look at his work for the country, and judge him accordingly; if you like Masisi, listen to him, analyze him, look at his work for the country, and judge him accordingly; if you like Boko, listen to him, analyze him, look at his work for the country, and judge him accordingly; if you like Saleshando, listen to him, analyze him, look at his work for the country, and judge him accordingly; if you like Gaolathe, listen to him, analyze him, look at his work for the country, and judge him accordingly.

CHANGE DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN A DIFFERENT PARTY COLOR

The change we seek will never take bringing in a different party color, because then it is just a color change. You are simply dealing with a chameleon and our problems continue. Change will always take “a shift in attitude,” or what you would like to call, “mindset change.” We have to come back to the other side of the wall and let the political parties stay on their side. That will allow us to judge better so that we are able to (as Responsible Citizens) hold each and every leader regardless of political color accountable for their actions.

YOU CANNOT BRING IN A NEW PARTY IF THE ATTITUDE IS THE SAME. THAT IS NOT CHANGE. THAT IS SIMPLY A CONTINUATION OF THE STATUS QUO WITH A DIFFERENT COLOR.

If you want UDC in power, let those folks show through their attitude today that they are fit for office. This includes them saying no to the current proposal that their salaries should be increased. And their “no” should be genuine. “Change” will never come with an opposition that is still fighting over a ward in Gaborone. I have proof.

BCP ran independently in 2014 and that guaranteed BDP power. Today, BCP in Gaborone ran for the Bophirima Ward independently. Then you still have BNF running its own agenda. Then you have AP chatting with BCP. I ask, “Is this sort of disorganization demonstrating that the ‘change’ you so seek is near?” Are you aware that this ‘attitude’ and disorganization by the opposition is the reason BDP will stay in power? Doesn’t this demonstrate that “le opposition e lwela maemo hela jaaka ko BDP?” A golo moo ga se lelobu? I said ‘maloba’ that BDP will stay in power not because of BDP, but because of your opposition. All this means is that our ‘democracy’ is super weak. It is weak because many of our people will never ever condemn their beloved yet crippling leaders. This is just a fact. If you are going to question me, ask yourself this question: “Why is it that in a democracy like Botswana, we still have been ruled by one political party for 56 years?”

Tlake arabe pele: It is because your MPs will take that salary increment. They will without a shame accept that P7, 839 allowance for holding a kgotla meeting. When it comes to ‘money,’ they will always sing along… but what a boring song!

As a Citizen of Botswana, I am a big supporter of a strong democracy – and like I have said before, a strong democracy means a strong opposition and a strong ruling party. Even if the ruling party were UDC, I would still stay we need a strong ruling party. By this I mean, we need a strong UDC (AP, BCP, BNF, and BPP) and a strong BDP. [Notice that I put all the opposition parties in brackets. I intentionally did that because I want to communicate a symbol and a requirement of change; “organization” or “organized opposition.” The strength of these political parties will force our leaders to put country before themselves first, because if they do not do what we expect of them, we will simply vote them out. That is what responsible citizens do. They are in charge. YOU ARE THE CHANGE!