Bishop speaks on general elections
Correspondent | Wednesday August 27, 2014 14:44
President Ian Khama has announced the date for our country’s general election to be held on the October 24, 2014.
This calls all the loving citizens who have registered for the elections to check that their registration card and valid Omang card are kept in a safe place, ready for this important day. It will be a public holiday.
It is our duty as responsible citizens to exercise our right to choose the leaders and government that will respect human dignity and create better life for all.
Botswana is where it is now because it was blessed with good leadership from its birth as an independent state till present time we are still enjoying the good fruits of our good leaders.
In order to continue to prosper as a nation we need to preserve this legacy by exercising our right to vote for good leaders of our choice. Every five years we are given an opportunity to evaluate, assess and make our choice.
Leadership
Definition: leadership has been described as a ‘process of social influence in which one person is able to influence and enlist the aid support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.’ Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as their beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills.
Ultimately, leadership is about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen.
Christian world
The Christian world views leadership as stewardship of divinely provided resources; human and material, centered on the mystery of the Trinity, Creation, the fall and redemption.
As Christians when we pray the ‘Lord’s prayers’ we say, ‘Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven’.
We use our right to vote in order to choose a government that will facilitate the coming of the kingdom of God on earth here and now.
A kingdom that will provide our daily bread, peace, prosperity and respect for human dignity, emphasising the common good and co-division.
We are to vote for a government that promotes botho. As voters, we should know what the political parties stand for- their manifestos- so that we make informed decisions. We vote with knowledge.
The role of the church
The church has a spiritual role to link present and future (religion and development) through motivating effective engagement of believers in economic activity. It ensures that the common good is promoted, providing right information so that right policy choice is made and promote Christian values in order to form a loving nation with good morals. The Catholic Church does not identify itself with any political party or ideology, but will encourage the faithful to choose the party that fulfills the social teaching of the church on good governance.
Good governance and the catholic social teaching
Many of the secular definition of Good Governance are found in the social teaching of the church. These include:
-Respect for dignity of the human person
-Good stewardship
-The rights and responsibilities of individuals and communities
-Subsidiary
-Common good
-Respect for private property
-Preferential Option for the poor
Make your voice to be heard and counted for the good of our proud Nation.
Vote on October 24, 2014. It is your right.
His Lordship Rt. Rev. Bishop Valentine Tsamma Seane, Bishop of Gaborone wrote this letter on August 15, 2014