Ramifications of Saleshando, Kekgonegile suspension
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday July 18, 2022 06:00
Reports suggest that Boko and Saleshando have not been on talking terms for the longest time. These are the men who ahead of the 2019 General Election, walked side-by-side.
The opposition strongmen’s supporters have been throwing barbed wires at each other when an opportune moment arose. Saleshando and his lieutenants have been talking the loudest, articulating Boko’s leadership failures and his tendency to ‘undermine’ democracy. Boko chose to finally act after long moments of deliberate silence.
His action in choosing to suspend the BCP duo is what seems to have broken the camel’s back. It has polarised Boko and Saleshando to the extent that the public will be exposed to the UDC’s dirty linen as the court injunction challenging the suspension progresses.
Boko and Saleshando are facing each other in court as the latter is fighting his suspension at the coalition as the Leader of Opposition (LOO) in the National Assembly.
University of Botswana (UB) lecturer in politics and administrative studies, Adam Mfundisi quizzed about the suspension of the BCP duo pointed out: “The speedy suspension and replacement of the LOO position raised eyebrows and triggered internal battles within the BCP.” He said the Botswana National Front (BNF) leadership under Boko orchestrated this ‘palace coup’ deliberately to divide the BCP knowingly that there were elements within the party in Parliament who are "susceptible to manipulation to betray the party for parochial self-interest and entitlement". “This has hardened the minds of the pro-Saleshando supporters and well-wishers.
I have stated before that the LOO’s performance has been sterling in the current Parliament. He has revolutionised and galvanised opposition politics, particularly in Parliament,” he posited.
Added Mfundisi: “His (Saleshando) contribution in and outside Parliament has enhanced the image of opposition polity beyond any of his predecessors including Boko. I have high regard for Boko’s intellectual prowess but doubt his strategic leadership. Collaborative leadership is critical for today's highly networked team and partnership-based political environment.”
He explained that strategic leadership demands a repertoire of new mindsets and competencies to succeed in coalition politics. He was worried that the Boko-led BNF strategists developed an elaborate scheme to destabilise the BCP using MPs who are aligned with the BNF. Out of 11 BCP legislators, Saleshando has five on his side whilst others are aligned with Boko.
“Now, the BCP cannot claim stability and cohesion as its strong attributes as opposed to bitter struggles in the BNF. Remember, the BNF is going through trying times with two factions fighting for the soul of the BNF. The Boko and Baatlhodi Molatlhegi factions are battling it out in court and therefore, this political treachery and betrayal are deflecting attention away from the BNF,” he said.
The BNF is facing insurmountable problems in the leadership and management of the political party.
“BNF members, supporters, apologists, and leaders are over the moon witnessing instability within the BCP caused by MPs who defied their political party and joined the onslaught on the party leader and secretary-general. I want to argue that if these fellows were defying Boko, they would face the music. Boko is merciless when it comes to treachery and betrayal,” the UB academic analysed.
He pointed out that Boko is recently quoted as having said he will 'blow the heads' of treacherous members of the BNF and UDC alike. All-in-all, Mfundisi holds a strong view that the marriage between the BCP and the BNF in the UDC coalition is irretrievable.
He sees a bitter divorce looming and the BCP-aligned MPs who sided with Boko and by extension BNF in removing the LOO from his position are in precarious positions following their suspensions.
He said about BCP MPs loyal to Boko: “Their defiant attitude and behaviour are politically regrettable and make it hard to reconcile the UDC leadership as well as the BCP and the BNF. My considered view is that they were malicious and treacherous. They should have reconciled the top leaders; Boko and Saleshando.”
He feels political betrayal and treachery cannot be described as tell-tale signs of factionalism within the BCP per se.
He pointed out that what motivated the group to betray the party is best known to them and history will judge them.
He discounted the slogan 'UDC or nothing' as a façade. The political analyst said Botswana can still have another coalition, one willing and committed to ethics and accountability in political formation.
Mfundisi conceded that BCP MPs in the UDC movement have betrayed the trust bestowed on them by the massive BCP followers who cast their ballot to send them to Parliament.
Quizzed about what the opposition parties could do to unseat the BDP, which has been in power since 1966, Mfundisi’s considered view is that ethics and accountability in political parties are important.
“Why do people think Botswana is an exception in terms of defeating the ruling party? The UDC is not the only route to defeating the BDP,” he wondered and pointed out that competitive elections based on a free, fair, and credible election is the answer.
He conceded that coalition politics is difficult to manage and lead. In an ideal situation, the UB don says political parties must be willing to negotiate and compromise, agree to disagree, have equitable treatment, trust and cooperation, respect, and effective communication.
Meanwhile, Mfundisi indicated that the BCP congress in Mahalapye has come at the most opportune time for the political party to introspect and chart a progressive chart based on high moral and accountable platforms.
He noted that a rejuvenated leadership at all levels is required for it to survive “the turbulent world of politics of betrayal and treachery we are witnessing now".
He is of the view that the stability of the BCP going forward will be contingent upon strategic leadership able to chart a progressive path. Amidst cries of political betrayal and treachery, "the party must emerge from the congress more united than ever".
"I assume that the general membership will propose for dismissal of the defiant MPs from the party," he said.
A rocky journey awaits the BCP and strategic leadership, as Mfundisi suggests, which will see it re-engineered into a formidable force in the opposition polity.
“The MPs who defied the party instructions ought to face disciplinary process within the BCP structures and processes. This cannot be tolerated in any political formation. If it were the BNF, I would be certain of political consequences for the deliberate betrayal,” Mfundisi emphasised just before the BCP suspended its five MPs for their alleged defiance.
He indicated that party discipline is essential for political success, as the voters need to have confidence in the leadership and party. Indiscipline, he added, leads to political paralysis and ultimate annihilation.
In a previous interview, political analyst Professor Zibani Maundeni held the view that Botswana has not generated sufficient conditions for the establishment of election-winning coalitions. In his research paper entitled 'Political Instability, Electoral Violence, and Coalition Governments in Africa: The Basis for Successful Liberal Politics and the Failure of Coalitions in Botswana',
Maundeni said attempts by opposition parties to institutionalise their own cooperation through coalitions for winning elections have been problematic with visible and costly failures.
The paper focused on a case study on democratic Botswana. “Therefore, localised and without clear historical precedence in Africa, Botswana parties’ attempted coalition for winning elections is having a hard time taking root and function. Coalitions between Botswana opposition political parties have also been attempted but either collapsed or failed to win elections,” Maundeni said.
Without being specific to the UDC case, Maundeni observed that the problem with the coalition is that opposition parties negotiating election-winning coalitions have based them on secrecy, elite orientation, and disregard for the voting public. He said Batswana prefer a coalition of opposition parties for purposes of winning elections but yet secrecy has always worked in favour of opposed internal elements to disrupt working together.