Tiego takes on BMD charge
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday September 12, 2023 06:00
In his inaugural addresses, Tiego flanked by his leadership team including his vice Apostle Donald Motsumi, secretary-general Wazha Phumaphi, party chair Julius Baitumetse, and treasurer Maipelo Mophuting, said they will transform the BMD into a beacon of hope and unity for all Batswana.
Extending his gratitude, Tiego commended the outgoing president of the party, Nehemiah Modubule, for his unwavering commitment to preserving the party's existence. "I wish to pay tribute to the outgoing president and his committee for maintaining a party that faced slim prospects of survival. Comrade Modubule and your team, your tireless efforts have not gone unnoticed.
You have toiled earnestly and gracefully to navigate the BMD to this momentous day. Furthermore, I wish to honour all the former presidents of this movement. Despite the challenges and political turbulence, they skillfully steered the BMD ship through troubled waters. Our presence here today is a testament to their legacy and we salute them all," he remarked.
Tiego bemoaned the current state of affairs in Botswana, where the majority have been reduced to mere spectators while the ruling elite openly partake in the economic prosperity of the nation without regard for the masses. "We inhabit a nation where innovation and creativity have eluded our leaders. We reside in a country where genuine freedom is elusive.
They extol the virtues of free speech and expression without revealing that the moment you exercise these freedoms, your potential for success and dreams becomes endangered. We inhabit a nation where fear is the order of the day," Tiego asserted. "Regrettably, we have been coerced into living in perpetual fear, to the extent that we even dread our own shadows.
The ruling BDP benefits from this atmosphere as they know that the likelihood of uprisings diminishes, granting them the freedom to exploit the nation without hindrance. Nevertheless, I am convinced that a fearless collective is emerging and this collective will be unstoppable." The clergyman emphasised that the dream of the BMD's founding president, Gomolemo Motswaledi, for a better Botswana, was not a mere reverie but a symbol of hope. "He envisioned a Botswana where each individual's talents are nurtured, enabling them to achieve their full potential. A nation where education and healthcare are not merely rights but the cornerstones of our progress and prosperity. A homeland where prosperity is not the privilege of a few but the birthright of all citizens, regardless of their background.
He envisaged a Botswana where our youth, brimming with energy and passion, eagerly anticipate a future where their creativity, innovation, and dedication contribute to our nation's greatness. A land where economic empowerment is not a privilege but a fundamental entitlement," Tiego declared. He called upon Batswana to demand the best for their nation, urging them to seek the eradication of poverty, the flourishing of businesses, and the accessibility of land. Tiego underscored the need for Botswana's business community to demand land for their enterprises. "Our youth should demand land to have a stake in their homeland. Churches should seek land for worship, fellowship, and ministry. We must not shy away from demanding all the amenities to which we are entitled as citizens.
We must do so boldly and with unwavering determination," he implored. Tiego stressed the pivotal role of the next 100 days in reshaping the BMD into a symbol of hope and unity for all Batswana. "During these next 100 days, we will labour tirelessly to rebuild this great movement. We will rise on wings like eagles; we will run and not grow weary; we will walk and not faint, placing our trust in the Lord, the renewer of our strength. In the forthcoming 100 days, we will unite and collaborate towards our ultimate liberation, where we will act collectively to fashion a Botswana that brims with perpetual prosperity and opportunities for all to thrive. The road ahead may be fraught with challenges, but, as history has taught us, it is not the absence of challenges that defines us, but our resolute response to them," he said.