Khama is a dictator � Mogae
Bame Piet | Friday August 15, 2014 16:20
Former President Festus Mogae was telling the world in Tanzania, that Motswaledi’s nemesis, President Ian Khama was a ‘dictator’.
A seemingly charged up Mogae was speaking at an African Leadership Forum Panel Discussion in Dar es Salaam.
The recipient of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Prize for Achievement in African leadership was pouring out, in exasperation his heart, telling the audience that the current leadership of the country he led not too many years ago had lost direction and was leaning more and more towards dictatorship.
Mogae is shown in a CNBC news clip currently available on online video sharing service youtube decrying the current government’s disregard for rule of law and transparency.
Khama’s government, he said, had become intolerant of debate, criticism, and was hostile to any dissenting voice.
“In my country for example, we are regressing.
The problem is if you criticize your successor, people think you want to rule from the grave,” he said in answer to a question.
Mogae went on: “We were a small country that ran an open economy and open society.
But our present government has expelled over 2000 foreign professionals over the last six years”.
An almost nostalgic Mogae talked about a far more tolerant Botswana during his tenure.
“When I was president I would have invited you to a debate, anywhere, anytime in Botswana anywhere else...express my views, accept yours [and] challenging those with which I did not agree.
I was able to do that with Mbeki, with Obasanjo, and President Mukapa here... In my country, however, I did my best endeavour, by passing laws and so on. What is happening is that the present regime does not respect the rule of law: it is inward looking.
We have prospered in the past because we used professionals from all countries including Tanzania…and we trained our people in South Africa, and in Nigeria, and in Ghana.”
Mmegi could independently confirm the authenticity of the footage, and was not able to get a comment from Mogae’s spokesperson Segaetsho Garekwe at the time of going to press last night. However, government spokesperson Dr Jeff Ramsay confirmed he was aware of the footage.
“I am aware of the footage, but I can’t comment now because I haven’t watched or listened to it. I am going to watch it tonight and that’s when I will be able to comment,” he said.