Soldiers shouldn�t be ignorant but�

Isaiah Morewagae | Thursday March 20, 2014 11:45

Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Seretse emphasised that military barracks are not an open forum for partisan politics that may polarise the military within the barracks.  “We are not saying soldiers should be ignorant of their rights. That’s why the BDF has established different colleges to teach them about their rights as citizens vis-à-vis their professional careers,” he said.

The minister was responding to a recent incident in which members of Botswana Congress Party were denied entry to Sir Seretse Khama Barracks to carry out a house-to-house campaign.

Seretse stressed that the army barracks is a no go area for politicians.

He said that under the BDF Act and Protected Areas Act, military personnel is solely there to protect, secure and safeguard democracy that the country is known for.  “It would be catastrophic if members of the army were to be partisan,” Seretse said.

The minister also touched on the recent refugees’ issue, saying that one of the three Ugandan refugees who staged a sit-in protest at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is said to be an illegal immigrant.

Seretse claimed that government had not been able to locate the said refugee until he showed up at the UNHCR in protest of their living conditions at the Dukwi Refugee Camp.

Seretse revealed that the said refugee has since been transferred to the Centre for Illegal Immigrants in Francistown to await a final decision from the relevant authorities.

It is not clear who between Timothy Yamin (42), Peter Muganga and Musa Mohammed Isabirye (both 35) is the illegal immigrant.  The minister would not disclose which of the men is regarded an illegal immigrant.