University of Botswana isn�t Khama�s backyard garden!
| Monday June 23, 2014 15:56
It goes against the rights of students.Every student has a right to association and dissociation, and to be socially and politically active.
Park Tafa has gone on -the-record many times saying that student’s political activism at UB increases tension between students.
He is now hallucinating about banning student political activism and parties at UB. It is worth noting that this attempt is an expression of Tafa’s frustration. It is this very Parks Tafa who a month ago advised BDP-GS26 ballot box rejects to go ahead and sue the university and UB-UDC on allegations of election’s rigging;wasn’t he instigating tension and division then? Banning student activism is not the way to go, rather there should be organised discussions. Utterances like ‘whoever violates this decision will be punished’ signals that Tafa is swinging his unholy suspension barrels at student politicians, specifically, those belonging to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
As the University of Botswana Umbrella for Democratic Change (UB-UDC) we recognise student activism not only a way for ambitious and dedicated students to actively contribute to their societies,or a platform through which students are allowed to raise their social and environmental concerns, fight for their political rights or symbolically stand in solidarity with the oppressed in different parts of their society. The value of student activism transcends all of this: it is a way to emancipate the mind, to end injustice and to liberate the land. Student activism raises societal awareness; something that we are fully aware the BDP regime will do all it can to prevent. Parks Tafa would be well advised to be informed that the university is not Khama’s backyard were he acts as his garden boy.
The (UB-UDC) is not Guma Moyo or Elijah Katse whom he bullied out of positions. UB Students should know their rights and liberties and they need to be better informed on how how to best assert and defend these precious liberties.
The protectors of students’ rights and liberties-those faculty, administrators, parents, alumni, friends, citizens, advisers, and attorneys who care about such vital matters-should understand the threats to freedom and legal equality on our university as instigated by Tafa, the moral and legal means of combating those threats, and the acquired experience of recent years. To that end, the foundation of individual rights in education should offer legal equality on campus, part of a series of such guides should be designed to restore individual rights and the values of a free society to our nation’s oldest and highest learning institution.
The aim of Parks Tafa’s unreasonable ruling is to deter activists from protesting against the mal-administration and oppressive tactics he suports. Fortunately, this will not deter students from courageously thronging into the streets to denounce these hellish attempts and demand respect from Tafa towards them should the need arise.
In my opinion, what makes student activism transcend other forms of activism is the fact that students are mostly driven by genuine non-partisan motives. Whether it is a fight against apartheid in South Africa, a fight against anti-Palestinian discriminatory rules in Israeli universities or even a genuine and passionate call to adopt an environment-friendly policy, UB student activism is without doubt a form of self-emancipation. As a student and ex-student representative council minister at the Botswana Accountancy College(BAC), I cannot help but salute any student who has dedicated even a second of his time to fight for the oppressed and has been a chanting voice for those who are voiceless,for institutions like BAC are run by old tyrants whose only motive is profit at the expense of students future. Tafa wishes to install the same tactics as of other tertiary institutions managements.
He has an exaggerated sense of self worth that won’t benefit UB. It is such a shame that he lives in such a delusional world that he thinks UB is Ian Khama’s backyard were he is appointed chief garden boy. Tafa should sit down,he is a coward who is using his power to boost his ego. His appointment to the university board as chairperson was political, therefore if he accepted this position on political affiliation,he endorsed political affiliation within the university, or it should be his comfort only?
Tafa’s recent threat to have the University of Botswana Student Representative Council president,who is also the president of the University of Botswana Umbrella for Democratic Change, Jacob Jacques Kelebeng banned from attending a senate meeting and force for him to be detained by Botswana Police is absolutely an act done out of malice and disregard for the rule of law. Parks Tafa is not above students,he should understand that the UB-SRC president represents the interests of the UB student community in contrast to his representation of Khama and family interests. The SRC president sits in the senate by political appointment just like Tafa, except though a much more democratic and deserving manner.
In all sincerity ,Parks Tafa should refrain from interfering in student politics, it was not UB-UDC that which said BDP-GS26 should field notorious egg thieves and drunkards for SRC positions in the past SRC elections, ours is a party that grooms young politicians and future leaders not thieves and future corruption jailbirds.
This attempt to disrupt the university by Tafa should be shunned now. University students and Batswana should see clearly that Parks Tafa is poking for an unnecessary student riot, one which he will get if his master doesn’t hold him on a leash. The University of Botswana is not Khama’s backyard garden were he Tafa does as his master so pleases. We will respond to his threats with an iron fist.
Botswana wa rona!! basco wa rona!! kopano ke maatla!!!
Kabelo Masvingo Mhuriro
UB-UDC Publicity Secretary