Things do come and they go
Dumi Mmualefe | Monday November 3, 2014 17:49
This is the time when, like many, I was so proud to be Motswana. People of faith committed themselves to prayer asking God to will us to have peaceful elections and God has granted it to be.
What else need we do but come to God with a sacrifice of thanksgiving! Glory, grace wisdom, power, compassion and all innumerable goodies come from God the Most Gracious!
It is a new political season, things have changed. The political Botswana we have is a different one but God does not change in God’s changing nature. Am I touching a wrong nerve?
Talking about God being the same yesterday, today, and forever in God’s changing nature? Well a God who does not change is a rigid God who cannot listen to prayers. When one listens, they hear and hearing is change from a state before hearing to that after hearing.
A God who does not change is one who cannot forgive because forgiveness denotes a change of feeling and attitude towards something or someone.
Thanks be to God who never changes in Godself’s changing nature. Let us all join hands in thanksgiving and purpose to build and preserve godly just and peaceful Botswana.
It was a pleasure to sit in the gallery as our Members of Parliament were sworn in. It is no doubt a very youthful National Assembly. Only, one hopes while jokes and playing that is common with our parliament will serve to minimise tension in the house, there will be more serious business engagements than the former. It was so humbling to see Dumelang Shaleshando, though from a distance, and P.P.P. Moatlhodi in Parliament.
The only hope is that the High Court proceedings will not take a long time to resolve what threatens to paralyze the new political season.
It is fact, we have started on a wrong footing but God will grant us grace and all will end well. Now the wedding ceremony is over, the honeymoon is over and the marriage should begin.
We have heard party slogans and promises. We have read manifestos and therefore parties’ modus operandis now it is time to deliver on promises.
It is an obvious truth that people do not eat promises and slogans, the electorate wants to see positive action. Politicians should be held accountable to their promises.
This we made abundantly clear during our service to thank God for the peaceful elections on the October 26, 2014 at Boribamo Congregational Church in Molepolole. Christians should not go into political hibernation only to raise their muted voices when another silly year approaches.
Challenging days are ahead of us and the church is therefore called to be vigilant and to pray without ceasing.
The prophetic voice of the church will be needed now more than ever before as our great nation moves forward.
This peace we have should never be taken for granted. However, peace is a by- product of justice and this fact the Church needs to take seriously even within its courts, or should one say especially?
As we go into the new political five years with the satisfaction that we chose representatives we not only wanted but needed to move on with, we have the responsibility to engage them and to keep them in check lest they forget that the mandate they have is not theirs but ours.
Now with a robust opposition, a historic 20, our democracy should shine even more. This is a blessing- even to the ruling Botswana Democratic Party. The change that has come cannot but positively affect the Botswana Democratic Party.
We expect a rejuvenated, more focused government as there will be no time and chance for complacency.
That the BDP has lost its former spark that it has weakened is not doubtful to a reasonable person and part of the blame should go to a perpetual weak opposition that we have had in our history.
When the opposition is weak the ruling party plays unmarked. It is like a team of the calibre of Township Rollers and Mochudi Centre Chiefs which would always be playing with teams of the third division standard.
Such a team, though, remains on top and beating the desperately weaker ones will weaken in strength and tactical abilities. It will stagnate before it starts a free fall.
Thanks be to God we will have a robust parliament and hopefully a more robust government!
There were humbling moments during the election season. Top of these is the handing over of the political baton from Hon. Keletso Rakhudu to Hon. Ngaigwa.
It was so touching and so honourable hence I continue to call Mr. Rakhudu honourable. I did not see it when it was first aired on Botswana television.
When I arrived at home my wife remarked “waitse Rakhudu is a real Christian!” She related emotionally what happened and what he said.
I was to later see the clip and one had to be to be moved by that moment. This was the defining moment for me of what a true democrat is.