Masisi’s Louis Vuitton resort is corrupt and undeserved

Kgosietsile Ngakaagae | Monday September 6, 2021 06:00

The shamelessness with which the disclosure was made, only adds insult, to injury. The President, is not entitled to any resort, and surely, does not deserve same. The question is; Tautona Masisi o ikhutsa eng, a ise a bereke? The President, has not delivered, and is in fact running down our country.

There seems to be a steely determination on his part, and that of his sycophantic Cabinet, to outdo any corrupt regime Africa, has ever had. Many agree, that the misrule we are undergoing is a threat to national security. Public anger is palpable. Young people are virtually on the edge of an uprising. The old are cursing. In time, the cup of discontent may overflow.

The disclosure, by Minister Morwaeng, reminded me of the former Zairean dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko’s reign. Legend has it that he sat on toilets, in his Presidential mansion, forged of solid gold, whilst his people perished from hunger, in the streets, outside.

Three years into President Masisi’s presidency, Batswana are dying because hospitals have inadequate oxygen supply, while the nation’s wealth is lavished liberally on himself. We are going through the worst of times in the history of our nation. Common sense dictates that austerity should be national policy.

The little resources at our disposal, should be frugally spent for we do not as yet know, where we are going with this virus, or how long it will be before we see the lighthouse. We are just at sea, blown about by COVID-19 winds, with the captain and his crew drinking heavily; playing marbles. Our government is not only guilty of egregious economic crimes, but virtually, of genocide. Until two weeks ago, any suggestion of that the President might be building a paradise resort would have been laughable. I recall vividly, how angrily Batswana reacted, when the former president was bought an executive caravan. But lo and behold, it is true. President Masisi is simply impervious to public plight. In the past two months, hundreds have died, because hospitals had no oxygen supply, and because we had failed to capacitate the health sector inspite of 18 months of a State of Emergency wherein we burnt nearly P3 billion, in an orgy of economic plunder, and mindless rapine of the fiscus.

Electricity and transport tariffs have been hiked, and unconscionable levies exacted on a despondent population groaning beneath the yoke of the economic effects of COVID-19, protocols.

The entertainment industry is on its knees, and there is no let off, for the creative arts as yet. The alcohol industry is on its knees, and thousands of livelihoods have been completely wiped off. The whole nation is taking a haircut, and President Masisi is upgrading to a Louis Vuitton, hairstyle. Our capacity for socio economic support of the suffering masses has been expended. Yet, without resort to any procurement process, government needlessly, and controversially lavished P58 million, on a privileged party functionary. Meanwhile, at least a 100,000 youth, armed with graduate qualifications sit at home contemplating their futures, in a faltering economy where only politically connected tenderpreneurs thrive.

And yet, the President and his Cabinet believe they deserve to build themselves a Canaan, in the middle of all the abject grief, socio economic despondency, and economic desolation.

It is important, continually, to remind President Masisi, of the goodwill bestowed upon him, in the 2019 general elections. He came to power not any merit his own, but on a sympathy vote where it was foolishly thought that support for him was necessary to counter the ambitions of a power hungry, prince. When once, former president, Ian Khama, said that President Masisi, was a dictator, I personally laughed out loud.

Yet day-by-day, Khama is vindicated. The President’s government is the exact opposite of what the nation thought it would be. His government looks kindergarten, and is failing in literally, every area. For the mess we are in, who genuinely believes the President and his men, and women, even deserve their monthly emoluments?

Upon ascension to office, President Masisi’s government unleashed a barrage of malicious prosecutions targeting his political enemies and those presumed to be connected to them. Whilst pretending to fight corruption, his government allocated him a massive government farm, now his personal property. Now he has set aside 21 x 8 kilometres of the nation’s most precious land for his personal, and exclusive enjoyment.

Your guess is as good as mine, on how much the nation will pay for the President’s pleasure. There will surely, be a military contingent dedicated to the place. There will be infrastructural developments costing the nation millions.

There will be an airstrip, and a helipad, to add. There will be health and communications infrastructure, and maintenance costs running into millions as well as dedicated civil servants manning the place. The quality of it all, shall be Louis Vuitton, grade. All, for dismal failure at governance.

The nation must join hands and resist the plans to build President Masisi, the envisaged paradise resort. The plan is corrupt, immoral, unconscionable, and sick in the extreme.