Opposition mudslinging is 'par for the course'

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday January 31, 2014 17:04

TSAONE BASIMANEBOTLHE

Correspondent

espite their target being the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), opposition parties continue to attack one another.

Members of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) were at each other's throats.

But Gaolathe's maturity was not characteristic of the BMD, witness the following Facebook posting by well-known BMD functionary, Sonny Seriti: 'Dear political parties, when we say we need women in parliament we don't just mean women, we mean beautiful ones too.'

This prompted Gaolathe to temper the crudity on Monday by posting: 'Congratulations to Dr Hobona and the BCP for their win in Francistown West.

'Neither my words nor sentiments can come ahead of a much stronger idea - that it is the people who should make their voice head through the power of the ballot. They have cast their votes, and they have spoken.

'The responsibility that now lies ahead, to serve, to act, to build, to unite and to uplift our people lies ahead, not just for the elected, but for all those who understand their responsibilities as citizens and human beings. Let no foe or friend of the BCP take away from this victory. 'We must embrace at all times, without reservation, the larger democratic ideal, that no single party or formation will or should have a monopoly over all knowledge, or constituencies or country. Well done Dr Hubona, and well done BCP.'

Also on Monday, BCP leader Dumelang Saleshando extended an olive branch to the UDC by announcing that planned to meet his UDC counterpart Duma Boko to explore electoral cooperation where the BCP would not have candidates.

However, instead of embracing the gesture, UDC activists responded with malice and caprice, calling Saleshando's gesture a mere publicity stunt by a party that had always worked with the BDP to frustrate the Umbrella project. Yet BMD chairman Nehemiah Modubule believes that disagreement is par for the course in politics because parties differ on how they want Botswana to be. This, he opined in an interview, would remain the case for as long as parties espoused different ideologies.

'BMD ideology is hinged on pragmatism,' he said. 'That is why it was easy for us to cooperate with the BNF. I only have a problem when politicians focus on attacking individuals. Another problem is how leaders address issues that are potentially divisive.'

In his view, the problem is not helped by the suspected destabilising hand of the ruling BDP.

The secretary general of the BNF, Tapiso Kgosikoma, said mudslinging among opposition parties was the result of their failure to cooperate and form a bulwark against the BDP.

'In politics, congratulating one another is not on because people might think the one being praised is better than you,' he obesrved.

Political analyst, Professor Zibani Maundeni, holds that parties actually attack one another in order to create a good name of themselves!

This was partly because Botswana's opposition parties did not have ideologies differences, especially the BMD and the BCP, he added. 'I think all opposition parties want to perform better in the coming elections,' Maundeni said. 'But they are fighting for a small market. Cooperation is the only answer.'

Even so, BCP president Saleshando recently appealed to members of hi sparty to desist from attacking other opposition parties, saying the parties need one anothers electoral success in the next elections.

He seems undeterred by snides from his plan to meet with his UDC counterpart Saleshando to develop a programme of cooperation.

To that end, he has made a unilateral declaration of support for the UDC where BCP would not have candidates. This goal, he emphasised, was unconditional.

Social media was awash with razor-sharp diatribes by opposition activists against one another before and after the by-election in Francistown West. This was even before the BDP candidate, Ignatius Moswaane, was barred by the High Court from contesting the by-election. Members of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) were at each other's throats.

After the BCP candidate Dr Habaudi Hobona won the elections last weekend, the vitriolic attacks on her person persisted from activists of other opposition parties. Some went further to make fun of her physical looks. A rare voice of reason came from the Vice President of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), Ndaba Gaolathe, who congratulated Hobona and wished her well in Parliament.But Gaolathe's maturity was not characteristic of the BMD, witness the following Facebook posting by well-known BMD functionary, Sonny Seriti: 'Dear political parties, when we say we need women in parliament we don't just mean women, we mean beautiful ones too.' This prompted Gaolathe to temper the crudity on Monday by posting:

'Congratulations to Dr Hobona and the BCP for their win in Francistown West. 'Neither my words nor sentiments can come ahead of a much stronger idea - that it is the people who should make their voice head through the power of the ballot. They have cast their votes, and they have spoken. 'The responsibility that now lies ahead, to serve, to act, to build, to unite and to uplift our people lies ahead, not just for the elected, but for all those who understand their responsibilities as citizens and human beings. Let no foe or friend of the BCP take away from this victory. 'We must embrace at all times, without reservation, the larger democratic ideal, that no single party or formation will or should have a monopoly over all knowledge, or constituencies or country. Well done Dr Hubona, and well done BCP.' Also on Monday, BCP leader Dumelang Saleshando extended an olive branch to the UDC by announcing that planned to meet his UDC counterpart Duma Boko to explore electoral cooperation where the BCP would not have candidates. However, instead of embracing the gesture, UDC activists responded with malice and caprice, calling Saleshando's gesture a mere publicity stunt by a party that had always worked with the BDP to frustrate the Umbrella project. Yet BMD chairman Nehemiah Modubule believes that disagreement is par for the course in politics because parties differ on how they want Botswana to be. This, he opined in an interview, would remain the case for as long as parties espoused different ideologies. 'BMD ideology is hinged on pragmatism,' he said. 'That is why it was easy for us to cooperate with the BNF. I only have a problem when politicians focus on attacking individuals. Another problem is how leaders address issues that are potentially divisive.' In his view, the problem is not helped by the suspected destabilising hand of the ruling BDP. The secretary general of the BNF, Tapiso Kgosikoma, said mudslinging among opposition parties was the result of their failure to cooperate and form a bulwark against the BDP. 'In politics, congratulating one another is not on because people might think the one being praised is better than you,' he obesrved.

Political analyst, Professor Zibani Maundeni, holds that parties actually attack one another in order to create a good name of themselves! This was partly because Botswana's opposition parties did not have ideologies differences, especially the BMD and the BCP, he added. 'I think all opposition parties want to perform better in the coming elections,' Maundeni said. 'But they are fighting for a small market. Cooperation is the only answer.' Even so, BCP president Saleshando recently appealed to members of hi sparty to desist from attacking other opposition parties, saying the parties need one anothers electoral success in the next elections. He seems undeterred by snides from his plan to meet with his UDC counterpart Saleshando to develop a programme of cooperation. To that end, he has made a unilateral declaration of support for the UDC where BCP would not have candidates. This goal, he emphasised, was unconditional.