Dow: Democracy under threat
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday May 22, 2023 06:00
She announced her departure from the party at a press conference in Gaborone on Tuesday at the Blue Tree Restaurant. Dow confirmed that she had been charged with bringing the party into disrepute; that she defied a party caucus decision and she disagreed with President Mokgweetsi Masisi with the complainant being Chief Whip, Liakat Kablay.
She stated that she carefully considered the utility or otherwise of appearing before the BDP-DC and came to the conclusion that such an appearance, regardless of the outcome, would not lead to a settlement of the real dispute between herself and the BDP leadership. “The real dispute between the BDP leadership and myself is our competing versions of the nature of this country. I say it's a Republic. I say it's a democracy. I say my statements in Parliament are protected by the Constitution.
I say neither a social media troll, nor a fellow Member of Parliament, ought to have the power to muzzle any Member of Parliament,” she lamented. In August 2020, Dow stepped down from her position as Minister of Foreign Affairs for reasons she had not publicly shared, some of which she said are in the public domain.
“In November 2020, I made a statement in Parliament which addressed what I considered, and still consider, the government's refusal and/or reluctance and/or failure to bring the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) to operate within its legally provided mandate. The judiciary has since weighed in on this issue and has confirmed aspects of my claim and those of others who have sought relief from the courts. I must admit that the crazy frenzy of the dramatic arrests of 2021 and 2022 has abated.
We can only hope that this calm will prevail. The response to my November 2020 address was a series of sustained and unrelenting brutal, brutish, abusive and cruel social media attacks on my person and members of my family by a Facebook troll calling himself France Museveni. These attacks would then be amplified by France Museveni's other pseudo accounts, a whole community of cowards dedicated to silencing lawful public discourse. Why? I have refused to be cowed or silenced by pseudo accounts.
The High Court is currently seized with a case in which the identity of the troll is at issue,” she said. Dow said the complaint against her by Kablay is just another of BDP's methods of muzzling the public, with him used as an example. On the facts of this case, she argues that she has very little doubt that the BDP-DC will find in her favour, but also has very little doubt that some other scheme will be hatched seeking to attain the same goal as the intolerance for a contrary view is currently too embedded in the BDP leadership to expect anything else. For this reason, she said the relationship between the BDP leadership and herself has broken down irretrievably hence the end of her membership of the BDP.
The former minister called upon all to raise voices to insist that they live in a democracy and to demand the true benefits thereof, to speak without fear and to dare say the many things that they know they are burning to say. “There is power in numbers; if we all speak at once we reduce the chances of any of us being targeted. The founders of this country made you a promise at Chapter II of the country's Constitution and it is that you are ‘entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual...’ I challenge you to assert your rights and freedoms,” she said.
On Masisi, Khama feud
“We whisper in corners about how the feud between the His Excellency President Masisi and former president Khama is tearing this country apart and how it is costing us in terms of money, time and focus and how individuals have been victimised and have lost jobs and careers. I say, whisper no more! President Masisi's devotion to the feud has undermined his government's ability to effectively manage the social, economic and political uncertainties of the last few years,” she said on the relationship between her two former bosses at Cabinet. Dow reminded those listening that their founding fathers had promised them fundamental rights and freedoms.
It was time for the people to assert those rights and freedoms, to speak without fear and dare to say the things they had been burning to say. She stated that there was power in numbers, and if they all spoke out together, they could reduce the chances of being targeted. On other matters, she addressed the deep-seated issues she finds plaguing the nation; the feuds tearing the country apart, the erosion of traditions, the trust deficit, and the accountability gap. She spoke about the unlawful surveillance, the crumbling health and education systems and the rampant youth unemployment. Dow urged the people to stop living in fear, to stop whispering in corners and to join hands in standing up for themselves. She reminded them that their actions would not only shape their own lives but also determine the future of their children. “For those concerned with the weaponisation of State Owned Enterprises against all of us, my answer is that the only counter-weapon we have against this antic is the law. Section 3 of the Constitution grants each one of us equal protection of the law, which has been interpreted to include equality before the law. Selective targeting, hiding behind claims of legal audits, have to be met with court action, joining as parties, those who seem to be favoured. Administrative decisions must be undertaken in compliance with various administrative law rules, one of which is good faith. ‘Audit all or audit none’, should be our motto,” she said.
For those concerned about her physical safety, Dow reminded of the folk story of the bird that sang, even after it was killed and ground into powder, telling on the cattle herders who killed a cow. “Ladies and gentlemen; citizens and residents, let's join hands and stand up for ourselves; without fear or favour, re sa boife, re sa mpampetse. Let us make the decision and do the work to put Botswana first. I certainly plan to use my voice, as an independent Member of Parliament, to continue to speak about these matters and to always put Botswana first,” she said. Dow said she found the party’s founding beliefs and values tested under the current administration hence her decision to quit. “I have exhausted all avenues to protect our Constitution as a member of the BDP. Keen to rouse a world that seemed to be too slow to appreciate the need for urgent action in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, President Mogae said, ‘One more day of delayed action is a day too late for our people’. The same can be said about where we are today. One more day of our inaction is a day too late,” she said.
Contacted for a comment, Kablay said he stood by what he had said about Dow. “She should haver waited for the Disciplinary Hearing to clear her name. That would be the only way to prove I was wrong. It is unfortunate to lose a BDP member, but people are free to associate and dissociate,” he said.
On why Ramotswa legislator Lefoko Moagi has not been charged, Kablay said they would be looking into Moagi’s matter next to hear him out. She said they were quick to charge Dow because she went out to speak publicly after the matter.