In the early 1990's, the opposition in Botswana under the leader of the Botswana National Front (BNF) had mobilised the general populace against the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). The various classes of our society namely the workers, peasants, students and progressive sections of the middle class were galvanised into action against the BDP. There was general discontentment and disillusionment about the government of the day. The dissatisfaction with the BDP government was everywhere and all over. It showed itself through such events like protest and strikes in which the workers demanded 153 percent pay rise. It showed itself through acts of unemployment at BBS Mall when they kidnapped Chinese contractors who promised them jobs but only to hire a few.
The unhappiness with the BDP government showed itself through the anger and uprising of the peasants, workers and students alike after the brutal ritual murder of Segametsi Mogomotsi at Mochudi. In taxis, buses, streets almost everyone and everybody expressed dissatisfaction with the BDP government. There was talk all over that the BDP was a bad government that must be rejected and changed. The people wanted change and were very much unhappy with the government of the day. The opposition therefore had a definite and mobilised constituency of the poor masses, workers and the youth who had been galvanised into political activities and participation. The BNF had been able to successfully articulate and politicise bread and butter issues that affected the masses, such that the people saw the BDP government as their enemy which had to be hated and rejected as it represented the interest of the rich, in particular De Beers Mining Company.
