Btv interviewed me on political intolerance � Saleshando
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday September 12, 2014 16:04
The state media boss, Mogomotsi Kaboyamodimo, however, denies there was ever such an interview. He insisted that Btv had no plans to run a documentary targeting the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), and the late Gomolemo Motswaledi.
In a statement widely published and debated on social media this week, Saleshando said he was approached and interviewed on the matter.
“I was called last week by Btv staff who informed me that they are working on a documentary that will address intolerance in Botswana politics and would like me to share my views. I then requested that I be given examples of intolerance that could have motivated the documentary,” said Saleshando.
He continued: “I was informed that the first example was the conduct of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) youth at the late Gomolemo Motswaledi’s memorial service. I responded that I won’t make any comments on the memorial service or the funeral. There is need to allow his family the space to mourn their departed child and an unending commentary cannot be in their interest to heal and recover from the loss”.
He said he was then informed that the second topic was the allegations of a ‘hit list’.
“In their view, this added to the atmosphere of intolerance. I brought it to the attention of the Btv staff that the BCP has never commented on the issue. We have never seen the Hit List and those who say they are privy to the contents of the list have never shared any of the contents of the list with us. My advise to the reporter was for her to interview those who often talk about the Hit List at their rallies. They will be more helpful,” he said.
Saleshando said in the interview, he stated that political intolerance is undesirable. The two examples of intolerance by the political leadership that he said he mentioned related to President Ian Khama.
“It will be recalled that during the 2011 public sector strike, Members of Parliament (MPs) sought audience with President Khama. His response was that he could only meet with the MPs provided that Nehemiah Modubule was not part of the delegation. This was outright intolerance.”
Saleshando said the second example that he gave was when MP Habaudi Hubona was sworn in February of this year.
“President Khama decided to stay in the office of the Parliament Speaker for the duration of the swearing in formalities. He only came into the House after the event. However, when other MPs like Bernard Bolele, Ngaka Ngaka, Tshekedi Khama and Fidelis Molao were sworn in he always made it a point to be in the House and was the first to congratulate them. This was yet another clear case of intolerance,” he said.
Saleshando expressed hope that the documentary is aired soon. He however said he suspected it was a plot to try and set up the BCP against the UDC whilst portraying BDP as a holy and clean political party. He said that strategy had not worked.
Kaboyamodimo, the deputy permanent secretary in the Office of the President, disputed Saleshando’s version.
“We have never invited Hon Saleshando to talk on the late Rre Motswaledi documentary because we are not doing a documentary on Motswaledi,” he said.
Kaboyamodimo said all they ever done was interview Saleshando and other political leaders on their continuing programming related to the 2014 general election. He said they have invited all parties participating in the election except UDC vice president Ndaba Gaolathe, who declined the interview.
“Our programme in which the political leaders participated is about the political environment in the build up to the general election, it is not about the late Rre Motswaledi,” he said.
Efforts to get a comment from Gaolathe were futile.
The Botswana Movement for Democracy chairman, Nehemiah Modubule said they knew nothing about the Btv documentary, as they were not interviewed.