Political parties fall apart because we hero-worship our leaders

Chema ka Mekgokolosa ya di salary increase, political party funding, All-Parties Conference, minimum wage adjustment and free electricity connection among other things that will surely get the electorate positively confused.

They are on the rampage scoring goal after goal while those who should be marking them are still fighting about who should be playing Left-Back and who should be the Goal Keeper or even the Coach. But are we concerned about that rona balatedi ba baeteledipele? Kana tota rona we are followers of our party leaders instead of pledging allegiance to our political parties. Yes I choose to single out the UDC because they have been the hope of many as a coalition that had been expected to be a single party by now, but is instead disintegrating every day as we step closer to elections. I mean, how do you explain the recent events where the BCP stepped aside, the BPF pulled out, and the AP and BPP are threatening to leave as well? Poor leadership across! And we, the followers, are all to blame. We want to be seen to be friends and loyalists to our leaders. We help them destroy our lives as they make selfish decisions that only serve their personal interests. And it cuts across all parties, both intra, and inter.

Take the matter of the legendary Masisi-Khama feud for instance - very few have chosen the discomfort of fence-sitting. It is either one is on the side of the current president and his administration, or they are with the former president and his political cheerleaders. Even among the prominent figures of the society, we have those who have chosen to malign one side and align with the other. The defenders and attackers of the two men know no boundaries when it is their time to choose words to cheer and jeer their idol and villain.

One can of course point to a very few individuals who, like myself, have chosen to watch unattached as things unfold, and once in a while throw in an opinion on the fair and foul deeds sponsored from either camp. The problem with BW politics, politicians and their attendant stoogies is that you become an enemy of one camp when you say something that does not flatter their egos. You are only good when you say something that pleases them. It for this reason most of us the neutrals, have been bashed from both sides. No camp sees you as their ally, and as I said, it is not just about the Masisi-Khama feud, but even about the ruling party-opposition party differences; as well as the acclaimed Boko-Saleshando fall-out. We the neutrals always throw in our opinions at a huge risk of being told things we did not know about whom we almost know will favour one politician over ourselves and even our parents. Heela – o tlaa rogwa the other or others when it was an expert analysis

ke batho e be ba latlhele batsadi ba gago mo teng. Such sought from them. intolerance of divergence by our political know-alls, We are blatant like that nowadays. We are no yet they would defend the very person killing their longer guided by reason, but by who we love and hopes for a better tomorrow! Call their leaders out at who we hate. And it is this phenomenon that is not your own risk. O utlwa gotwe owai, o rekilwe; owai, ke taking our country anywhere. The honest and neutral

modomkrag; owai, o ja madi a ga Moti, owai, o jeswa guys have been silenced, and we are thus deprived of

di tendera! That time I spoke my mind on the reported honest opinions on things that could help us shape meddling of Sisiboy in the Balete land case, I was the destiny our country into what we want. Imagine grilled and told our media establishment is known to there are very intelligent professionals who violently be anti-government and a smear-campaign tool used defend the ineptitude of our ruling political leaders by the opposition against Masisi and the ruling party. and government officials who failed to detect that

The following week when I called on Khama to there would be that drug shortage crisis in public retire from active politics or to man up and be the hospitals so as to avert it; imagine there are very illustrious soldier we know him to be by coming to smart people with degrees and doctorates who take prove his innocence against the State, I was severely sides in the failure of leadership displayed by the bruised and abused verbally gotwe Masisi o nthoma opposition party presidents who had a very simple with someone even writing gore ‘go bua sehema task of uniting people towards a single opposition waste of sperm!’ I tell you it is not easy being a party that would ensure this country becomes a better neutral and trying to say your own mind on political place for its citizens! issues of this country. People who should be calling for things to be done

That’s why we are where we are! I recall too right; people who should come out and show political when I expressed disappointment in the ego fights leaders that the ordinary masses are the bosses. between the UDC president Boko and his then deputy Monna fela a le botlhale a ntse a re ‘Boko or nothing.’ Saleshando, showing how their selfish inclinations Mosadi fela a bulegile tlhaloganyo a ntse a re ‘Ke eme were the reason regime change in Botswana will tsii, le Saleshando.’ Mme party ya UDC yone e thubega! remain a pie in the sky, I was insulted and labelled And then when we the neutrals decide to brave the

modongwana who should learn to shut the hell up and storm to talk sense into people, we are attacked from use the one mouth I have for just eating the Domkrag both sides with all manner of verbal missiles. breadcrumbs thrown at my feet! Heela, kana ko UDC This country will burn because we have decided when you speak your mind gatwe o Modomi, o rekilwe. to take sides Masisi Khama. Our It is a pity that for fear of this barrage of profanities allegiance to either party will leave us with no place from all angles, the more docile neutrals have chosen to call home. Instead of calling the two men out to the comfort of hibernation from social commentary. show them this country is not some inheritance Yet it is their opinions we need the most - the reserved for their homesteads, we are busy fuelling intelligentsia who are usually fair-minded and from one side against the other. whom the uninitiated could learn a lot. Social media To what benefit for the self? We have allowed now remains flooded with individuals whose opinion ourselves to be controlled by the egos and selfishness we already know even before we ask for it. Forget of individuals whose real endgame is benefit to about their level of education or their professional themselves and not us. We should revolt against backgrounds – they have taken sides - baa rogana anything that does not serve us any good. Revolt and they do not care how damaging their pronounced against the egos of Khama and Masisi for a better alignment can be to their careers and reputations. Botswana; and reject the egos of Boko, Butale, Ndaba,

Lawyers, drivers, teachers, journalists, doctors, Dibeela, Tiego and Saleshando for a progressive political scientists, social workers – it is either they arEengaginogpposition. I tell you, with all that is happening now, with this one or that one. It is sad when you see even I foresee a UDC that is made of only the BNF, going the varsity PhD holders and professors from whom to elections against BCP, BPF, BMD, AP, BLP and the we expect expert and unbiased also taking BDP. Batho e be ba re elections were rigged when sides and doing very little to hide it. On both sides the obvious happens. Le gale tswelelang le galaletse of the political aisle, we have such varsity analysts baeteledipele ba lona ·even when they lead you astray!