The Tawana marriages ban is wrong

Mmegi Editor | Wednesday February 26, 2014 00:22

In its defence of its decree, the royal family is quoted as saying that the decision was taken by the morafe (the tribe).  Be that as it may, the decree has seriously inconvenienced entrepreneurs in the North West especially the capital Maun, which is also a resort town of world renown.

With Botswana’s ever-changing demographics, it is a given that Maun is no longer a homogenous Batawana town alone, if it ever was, which makes this Tawana-centric decree unfair and unreasonable in the extreme. Without taking away from the countrywide cultural revival, we think it odd for any one group to impose its values on others, values that – in the case of the issue here under discussion, may not enjoy the total support of even Batawana themselves. Afterall, the opportunity cost of this edict in trade and commerce cuts across tribes in one of Botswana’s most cosmopolitan of districts. The question is how the Maun matter is different from the time in Kgatleng when certain aristocrats decided to impose certain strictures on the freedoms of everyone in the district in the name of culture. 

Although we accept that the Kgotla is the main assembly from which popular decisions are made by the majority, the system is vulnerable to manipulation and abuse, casting its democratic credentials in considerable doubt. This is because Kgotla meetings are held when a good section of the population - especially young and vibrant adults - is away at work.

Secondly, the Kgotla system does not encourage expression of minority views. We have witnessed instances where people who dare express such views are booed and taunted without a thought to their dignity and rights.  A six-month ban on any lawful practice - be it sport, travel or entertainment – causes serious inconvenience and has the potential to breed ill will in communities. What is even more disturbing was the Batawana royal family’s imposition of a ban on the private press not to attend a meeting last weekend at which the wedding ban was discussed.

We hope that the decision was not made by Kgosi Kealetile Moremi, one of only a few women in Ntlo ya Dikgosi, because she should be driving an agenda that widens the frontiers of freedom on all fronts. She needs no reminding that it was the private press that has railed against disadvantaging women in chieftainship issues or Bogosi.  With due respect to Her Majesty, we think she should be mindful that it was the private press that informed Batswana of the theft of land of Batawana and the pong of corruption that has come to define this country.

We call upon the managers of state-owned media to wake up and see that their departments are being taken for a ride. They must therefore take a stand on the side of truth and right (not rightwing, God no!) - before it is too late.