EMPTY PROMISES
BCP wants Botswana to emulate Lesotho, Zambia And change govt
Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Vice President Taolo Lucas has accused President Mokgweetsi Masisi of being fond of making promises, he never intends to fulfil.
The BCP was addressing a political rally in the Tutume west ward after the party’s victory celebration in the ward over the weekend in honour of Moseki Mathodi’s victory in the 2019 general elections.
“O tshwana le lekau le le solofetsang ngwanyana lenyalo gantsintsi go fitlhela ngwanyana a nna lefetwa la nyalo,” said Lucas, who was the guest speaker at the victory celebration. This loosely translates, “He is like a young man who constantly promises marriage to his lover until she is beyond marriage age.”
According to the BCP leader, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) should not be taken seriously because its economic diversification agenda which has been promised since independence in 1966, has not taken off.
“This has led to unemployment in the country,” stated Lucas, who suggested that everybody should have the right to employment. “Tiro ya ga Masisi ke go tlhola a alotse Khama le go itsomela khumo. O lebetse go busa,” the MP for Bobonong said. (Masisi is preoccupied with chasing after Khama and pursuing wealth for himself. He has forgotten about running the country).
Lucas said that BCP is ready to rule and appealed to the masses to give them government in 2024, adding that the recently-formed Botswana Labour Party (BLP) is ready to work with the BCP as a partner.
The BCP and Alliance for Progressives (AP) have been in cooperation talks for some time now. For his part, veteran politician, Vain Mamela, who is the BCP director of education, dismissed the BDP as a party of comedians.
“Instead of creating jobs for the youth and people in general, the BDP government speaks fondly about Ipelegeng as if it is something to be proud of. Unlike a proper job, with Ipelegeng, there is no gratuity, no overtime and no money to make you rich.
“If elected, the BCP will promote, among others, agro-based industries to make people rich so that they pay tax and develop the country,” Mamela promised.
Representing the AP at the rally, former mayor of Francistown, Peter Ngoma, called upon the voters to embrace the New Botswana agenda which is a cry from the AP to usher in a new government.
“The need for a change of government is growing by the day particularly for this part of the country. We have the biggest rivers here but are in dire shortage of water. The BDP government promised us towards the 2019 general elections that the necessary infrastructure will be put in place to ensure reticulation of water from the Ntimbale dam to the region. Nothing has happened,” complained Ngoma.
He believes that the voters themselves are the problem and not the BDP government. Nyalalani Wotho, also from the AP, warned the voters not to vote into power dishonest politicians who never keep their word.
“It is costly to vote dishonest people. Besides water, Masisi government promised us a hospital in the Nkange constituency. We are still without a hospital,” Wotho cried. Specially elected councillor, Boy Chipaladza in the Nkange constituency, hailed the Tutume west residents for voting Mathodi since 2009.
“As we celebrate this win, let us make it our momentum to 2024. It is clear that despite the fact that you love the BDP, the party does not love you. When you vote in 2024, remember the high unemployment rate, the meagre wages for the employed,” Chipaladza advised.
An upbeat Mathodi thanked the voters for giving him the vote.
“This is a step in the right direction and we hope the other wards and constituencies countrywide will emulate you”, Mathodi said. Lampooning the ruling party developmental trajectory, Mathodi said there is no reason why, with so much land and a small population, there should be so much poverty in the country.
“Government has failed to avail infrastructure such as water sources, roads and electricity, to help farmers feed the country, as well as export agricultural products beyond our borders,” Mathodi said.
Basiame Sentsho from Boteti west hailed Mathodi as a good leader who does not take the voters for granted.
“Our challenge for 2024 is to go beyond winning a few wards and constituencies. To achieve state power, we must win more wards and majority constituencies. We must copy the example of Zambia and Lesotho and change government,” Sentsho said.