(May 26) Helpfully, BDF Commander Lt General Segokgo, appearing before the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, provided more background information when stating that ‘the purchase of modern aircraft, tanks and other equipment aids peace efforts. He added that having multi-role fighter aircraft and equipment that enables land manoeuvers acts as a deterrent to external forces that may want to destabilise the country.’
He explained that the country’s founding leaders chose not to have an army in order to avoid conflict. That strategy did not work and the government then decided to form the BDF. While some acts of aggression continued, the BDF was able to increase the country’s security levels. He further explained that ‘they’ hold dialogue with the national political executive about the needs of the army to strengthen its capacity’ (Daily News June 8). Surprisingly members of the Committee did not question any of these assertions. The problem here is that from its inception in 1977, it was generally accepted that the BDF’s affairs should be taken to be a national security secret. At the time, this may have been partly understandable because the country was under threat from the white minority regimes in Rhodesia and South Africa and because the electorate was poorly educated and poorly informed.
