Does BCP have right to table the motion on mother tongue promotion?

Lawrence Ookeditse | Monday July 21, 2014 13:59

Let’s start with the UDC: they have a legitimate case for silence. First, the point in time in our electoral cycle is highly charged and it is no time to entertain very controversial matters you will not be able to resolve in the coming three months even if you wished to. This is especially so on matters that are held emotionally by part of the electorates. Say what you may, but political parties exist to win elections and will not risk speaking out on controversial matters whose net effect, given the timing, may be loss of elections. Either way, in good time they should pronounce their position on this matter.

The BDP and the BCP at times prove each a little extremist on the matter. The BDP traces this issue to independence: the founding fathers of the republic took a conscious decision to establish a country not balkanized on tribal basis. As such, at independence Setswana was adopted as a unifying language- and it is a fact that it is the one language understood by most people in Botswana. Thus, given tribal shenanigans that divided so many of African society that was both reasonable and desirable. And indeed it has served this country quite well for half a century. The promotion of languages and cultures one may say was then largely left to individual tribal groups to promote.

It however has come as a concern to some that some languages are not spoken nationwide and even face extinction since younger generations do not speak such. Now, this is where I probably differ with some: the first line of defense for any language should be its own speakers. Before regulation by government, people must speak their own languages. It is now common cause for example for Bakalanga kids not to speak the language and find nothing wrong with it. The kids do not speak their own language and their parents are okay with it and some of these people are the same strong campaigners who argue that government must do something. Why are Bakalanga (of course you know I mean some) not teaching their own kids the language back at home? Why must the state take care of what you will not? I give an example of Bakalanga for I am one of them.

Yes, we need overarching legislation to promote our different cultures and it is not merely being tribalism lords to request that languages all be promoted. It is however an issue that deserves lots of sensitivity: and this is where I rather differ with the BCP. The timing of their motion and the framing of this issue into one to garner votes through may just make things flare up in manner it should not. As well, I'd go for language that is inclusive and holistic on this question- I'd table a motion that holistically protect our languages-Setswana included- and not one that risks being viewed as secessionist.

We all need to embrace the fact that we have matured as a country and must now extend certain things, but we must remain cautious still. This is especially so on issues that have not really disenfranchised most of our citizens: it is a fact that a broad majority of our people succeed in different facets of their lives in spite of whatever tribal grouping they come from. This is something worth celebrating, and it gives us the luxury to debate this matter not at a time when we know there is electoral point scoring to be gotten.

The BCP knows quite well that such a motion was never going to be debated in good faith three months from an election: they should've known they'll be termed alarmist, tribal monks, divisive and other such expletives. Similarly, it being a BCP campaign issue, the BCP should've known the issue would not be entertained by its political opponents. Perhaps it is a matter that the BCP must bring back to parliament after the general election when the issue can be soberly debated.

It is that divisive but it really deserves some debate at a time when no one appears opportunistic and no parties appear to be lured into a political quagmire that may cost them votes. At such a time, one then expects both the BDP and BCP to not be extreme in approaching this issue, and the UDC to perhaps not be relatively too quiet on the matter. But how can you blame them given the timing? I'd be silent myself if not pushed to speak out on it at such a sensitive time.

Of course the BCP has a right to table such a motion and they should not be abused for this. However, the timing of the motion is rather opportunistic and it was bound to be received rather harshly, unfairly so to some degree but the BCP should have seen this coming. And the BDP on the one hand ought to look into the matter see how as a republic we would grow from greater promotion of other languages- but yes, it not one to entertain before an election.