Reject politics of hatred and disunity

Kgosietsile Ngakaagae | Monday August 23, 2021 06:00

Wherever the merits of the dispute lie, some day President Masisi will, from retirement, look back at the damage to the national psyche, that happened under his Presidency. And time, is running out. Fair enough, the north-south boundary line has been a feature of our politics. Past presidents always tried to counterbalance the scales, by appointing a deputy, from the other region. But hardly ever, has the boundary been so visibly drawn, as a solid, political and tribal line.

In the end, a victor will emerge between the two belligerents. It may result from the political destruction of one by the other, or the vicissitudes of fortune, may decide the contest. One thing though, is certain: the devastation, and damage wrought upon the nation, would take decades to repair, if it ever will.

Nothing examplifies this like the political divisions that attended to the candidacy of Elias Magosi, for the top SADC post. To be sure, Mr. Magosi was not a job seeker. And no personal charge can be laid at his door. He was fielded by the country, for the post, in an international contest pitting Botswana, against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Followers of the former president, in particular, and the opposition, in general, expressly rejected Magosi, and rallied behind the foreign candidate. Their grounds for rejection were as flimsy, as the cause of the underlying dispute, between their masters. Magosi, a civil servant, was seen through the prism of the political conflict between his employer, and the former president.

If he succeeded, he would be one more feather on the withering plumage upon President Masisi’s cap. For that, he had to fail, even if the nation lost, in the process. Magosi, and the nation were accepted as collateral damage, in the deeply personal war. I am 45 now. In years past (and one may have to look back a good number of years) the flimsiest prospect on national success would stoke a raging fire of nationalist sentiment. Never have I seen such a sizable chunk of the population desire the Republic failure, and openly so. Botswana has truly regressed, thanks to the conflict between the former president, and the current.Sadly, the warring parties are determined to fight to the death. The President seems convinced that it would be below the dignity of his office, to make a conciliatory gesture. Capitulating to his former boss would be unpresidential. Likewise, the former president seems determined to correct his error, and to bring his successor to his knees. His claim that his foundation has secured enough vaccines, for the nation, almost permanently ruined the credibility of the government.

It is not my design, to deliberate over whether they are each capable, of politically, and judicially annihilating each other. The country can move one whether they do so, or not. We have lost more eminent figures in Sir Seretse Khama, and Quett Masire. The nation, survived the immense loss. Much as we care about them, we simply don’t want the nation to go down their graves with them, as collateral damage. My concern is about the disunity, and hatred that now pervades the air, thanks to a personal conflict.

The relegation of the nation to the shadows, as citizens line up behind their leaders, is unacceptable. The loss, of the bigger picture, and a fixation on the personal, bruising contest between the belligerents, to the prejudice of the national interest. It would be dishonest, of course, to say that the former president has been well treated. The courts have stated already, that he has been given the shorter end of the stick, regard being had, amongst others, to his entitlements.

And whilst he has been fingered by President Masisi’s government, in an alleged P100 billion theft case, no charges have ever been brought against him, and no evidence has been suggested to date. A purge was commenced against him targeting his perceived “cronies”. It was a design, it seems, to taint him, and to destroy his political capital, from safe distance. The purge, has failed.

I am calling our leaders, and their followers out, to engage in a dignified contest. I am calling them not to a ceasefire, but to redefine their rules of engagement. Surely, the national interest is bigger than them. Surely national unity, must trump their personal egos. They do not have to be on one political side. But it surely is time, to drain the swamp of bile, and hatred issuing from their contest, that now defines our politics. The national psyche is damaged.

Some may argue, that the relationship between the two men is beyond repair. I believe that is a wrong way to frame the issue. The parties need not like each other. Their relationship needs not be repaired. And certainly, they need not resuscitate their bromance.

Even if they tried, the wounds might take much longer to heal. It has been a bruising, take no prisoner contest where the end justified the means. What they can agree on, though, is that there are issues that trump their individual interests. Even in their differences, they must be able to remind their followers to put the nation first.

To that end, I am not happy that former president Khama, has not congratulated Elias Magosi, on his success, which is in fact a national success. To do that, would not obliterate the injustices President Masisi, has committed against him. It would be to reassure the nation that he holds the national interest, above his personal pain, and frustrations. So to do, would caution his followers, political and tribal, to stay true, even in the deathly fight to dethrone President Masisi, to basic national values, in particular, national unity.

Likewise, President Masisi must climb down.