A country run by non-politicians is doomed!

Bame Piet | Thursday March 27, 2014 12:00

I retract the latter part of my statement. There are no politicians here. Botswana should find a place, or be recorded in the Guiness Book of Records as the only country in the world where the people in government are non-politicians. This arrangement is the main reason I’m relocating. I can’t live in this country anymore.  I’m relocating to another land which I will decide after I have started my journey.  I am taking my Nissan March, putting all my belongings in a bag and embarking on a journey to a place I will decide during the course of my journey.  My creditors should submit their claims now, or they will never get their money. They should bear in mind that the payment will be done by first come first paid basis – that is - those who were entered in my credit books two years ago will be the first to get paid. 

Those who borrowed me their money two months ago, should know that the queue is long, and should not try to skip it.  If they are lucky they will get paid, otherwise they may never get payment.

I’m going to look for a place where members of political parties, who also happen to be in government, are not shy to be called politicians. They should know that we can’t refer to them as pastors, army commanders or what…they are mapolotiki finish and klaar!

During my relocation, I will find a place in no-man’s land, park my jalopy and settle. I may build a mud hut if it is legal. I will be my own government, complaining to myself and politicising issues.  How on earth can a country be run by non-politicians?

Starting with the HE, he has made it clear to everyone that he is no politician, but unfortunately failed to make his title known. Perhaps we should call him Pope, Lieutenant General, Kgosikgolo, or anything but politician.  I think I should call him Pope for now.  I love it when the people in government do not want to be called politicians. Even more, I love it when they state that their decisions should not be politicised. How many times have you heard a minister complain that the others, on the other side of the political divide, are politicising his or her failures? Its countless times.  My view is Pope Khama is a suitable one.

The other day, when members of the public were complaining about this year’s poor Junior Certificate results, I heard the minister responsible for education complaining that the people were politicising the results. Sorry, it wasn’t her, it was her assistant. Some other tall guy whom we are told is good at using fists. I doubt it, he failed to throw one punch at that Kgosana who challenged him a few weeks ago in Kgatleng.  That Kgosana was thirsty for action, but the minister was a bit scared, perhaps sensing that he was not going to win any belt that time. The Kgosana had a homeground advantage.

 I will leave the guy alone for now,  and focus on the politicising the results. I will not dwell on this topic for the simple reason that JC results were a D string. This week again, or rather last week, another minister of energy was complaining that the power outages that have cost us our chickens and beef, which we bought with our last Thebe, should not be politicised.  He was saying this in parliament, the only building in the world known to house politicians. Damn! For days I struggled to sleep. I could not understand why a minister was complaining that some guys are politicising electricity shortage. This is the main reason why I’m relocating. I’m really scarred.  Why would someone occupy a seat in the national assembly, a ministerial post and insists he is no politician? Perhaps this is why we are told the Independent Electoral Commission has no funds to sensitise people about the forthcoming elections. Everyone in government is not a politician apparently, and therefore they see no reason why there should be elections in this country, let alone providing IEC with funding to publicise the elections.

I think I should approach the courts and sue for interpretation of a minister, what he should be referred to, what the public should, or shouldn’t complain about.

The courts should also issue an order that any person holding a public office, and attending parliament debates should not complain when his or her colleagues question the performance of their office.  Our courts are still independent, and they have proven to be such.  I trust that even at appeal, the lower court decision will be upheld.  When I get home and find there is no water, I should complain to a politician, and not Reverend, Dr. or some Pope. This is why it is only politician who can occupy space in my TV set and lie that he is going to haul water from the Zambezi River, Lesotho, or some other far away place when he could simply educate people about water conservation, and promote rainwater harvesting.

I don’t expect a high court judge to promise me electricity either. Neither do I expect a pastor to make laws on what time I should go to sleep. I hear people saying they are not going to vote because politicians are liars, are in politics to enrich themselves, and this and that. Indeed some politicians are liars.

If these guys can lie to us that they are not politicians, and we know they are, what about the other things are they doing without our knowledge?