ON PRESIDENT MASISI’S UTTERANCES WHILE IN ZIMBABWE

MASISI WAS NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF BATSWANA

The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is concerned by the insidious comments made by President Mokgweetsi Masisi during his recent State Visit to Zimbabwe. Our indignation is resultant from President Masisi’s irresponsible commentary which utterly disregards the prevailing political and economic situation engulfing our neighbours.

The following are his words, captured verbatim: “Botswana continues to call for the removal of sanctions against Zimbabwe .... We just came from our elective congress, and ZANU PF wasrepresented very well .... The two ruling pariies have relations, we are friends.”

President Masisi’s visit to Zimbabwe was a State visit, the BCP is therefore surprised at the partisan nature of his welcome, which is a foreign practice in the conduct of international relations, especially those of a sovereign nation.

President Masisi’s attempt to absolve ZANU PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the Zimbabwean crisis is not only an affront and insult to the suffering people of Zimbabwe, but it is also an attempt to revise history in the most deceptive way. It is similar to convincing us that ldi Amin was

an honorable man.

5. The fact is, the sanctions are only targeted at designated people in Zimbabwe, who are key members of the Mugabe regime, including Mnangagwa. How this affects the economy of Zimbabwe is yet to be explained. President Masisi must confide in Batswana before he tells the world that he speaks on their behalf.

6. We call upon the Government of Zimbabwe to introduce the necessary reforms that will allow for true democracy to thrive. Repression of political opponents and intimidation of those that challenge the ZANU PF regime should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

7. Instead of focusing on President Mnangagwa’s personal problem of sanctions, we pray the two must:

i. Provide economic reliefs to Zimbabweans at home to scale down economic migrants in other countries.

ii. Stop repressive actions against citizens of Zimbabwe whose only crime is to offer alternative voice and express their democratic rights.

iii. Provide a solution to the continuing cases of cattle rustling between the two countries.

iv. Deliberate on democratic reforms that among others, would allow Zimbabweans in diaspora to participate in their country’s electoral processes, without having to cross borders.

The BCP believes that Zimbabwe can be better, and while the economic situation in Zimbabwe has trickle-down effect downsouth, blaming targeted sanctions, without resolving the above points, is not in the interest of an ordinary Zimbabwean.

8. Having noticed decline of democracy and the disregard of the rule of law in Botswana under the BDP government, the BCP hopes that the budding friendship between BDP and ZANU PF will not further undermine democracy in the two countries.

Yours Comradely.

Mpho M.Pheko

BCP Information and Publicity Secretary

GIVE HIM THE MIC AT YOUR OWN PERIL

Something is not right with our president, Dr Eric Masisi. He seems to get very excited whenever he is given a microphone to speak. There are things he has said in the past while given the microphone that I doubt he is proud to day to have spoken. The case in point is the recent remark he made about Dr Gobotswang. Many have argued that it is the political language they use but sometimes it is important to also consider your position in relation to the country. I say this because I was thoroughly embarrassed by his words while in Zimbabwe, where he insinuated that Batswana want the Zimbabwean repressive government to be given the leeway to abuse its citizens without hindrance. Masisi should know better that those sanctions were meant to help that country return to true democracy, but because the leaders there enjoy the status quo where citizens have no liberties, the sanctions have remained. I am not sure how when we were told he is going to officially open an agriculture show, he then indulged in politics where instead of speaking for himself, he made it a Botswana statement. His handlers should always be sure what they may be getting themselves into whenever they give him the microphone to speak. Or else he should be advised to always stick to the script. His digressions are often embarrassing even for his ardent followers

[ITUH MOLEMI]

MASISI IS NO FRIEND TO ZIMBOS

When President Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi of Botswana says this and nothing else: He is saying it is ok for the ZANUPF regime to jail MPs on bogus charges; he is saying it is ok to kill your citizens for having a different view without consequences; he is saying it is ok to loot public funds without medication in your hospitals; he is saying that it is ok to fail to create jobs for 95% of your working population because you are plundering your country’s natural resources; I could go on. President Masisi is Mnangagwa’s friend, not a friend of the people of Zimbabwe.

[HOPEWELL CHIN’ONO]