Let�s honour our legends
Dithapelo Keorapetse | Friday October 2, 2015 12:29
It is not a decision that should be left to the executive alone. There has been a motion in Parliament in the 9th or 10th Parliament suggesting that former President Ketumile Masire be honoured. Parliament instead decided to amend the motion to include all important persons who have played a meaningful role in the country. There hasn't been any implementation of this motion. In the 11th Parliament, the motion which sought to honour the late Gomolemo Motswaledi was withdrawn and not debated. Exactly how should our celebrities be honoured?
There are many ways; the most common are naming places after them for instance public buildings and bestowing Presidential and other honours such as honorary degrees like PhDs. There are some institutions which give honorary degrees to some of the leaders who are strategically placed and their motives are apparent. That is not honour and it is unacceptable, it may actually be a valuable consideration.
This year, President Ian Khama has in addition to honouring himself honoured an opposition stalwart James Olesitse, Judge President of the Court of Appeal Ian Kirby, RB1 legends Justice Gaolekwe and Hilda Mampane, a businesswoman Pinkie Setlalekgoai, Keeme Mosinyi who is an artist and some other Batswana and a corporate entity.
In most Botswana villages, schools and sometimes hospitals are named after traditional leaders, eg Tshekedi, Sekgoma, Bathoeng, Seepapitso, Linchwe, Segale, Mmusi, Kgafela, Pilane, Letsholathebe have such institutions named after them.
The capital city is named after Kgosi Gaborone presumably because it is the land of Batlokwa. Other than that, there are many places named after the first President; Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, Sir Seretse Khama Barracks, a School in Block 3 and the Rhino Sanctuary. He also has his picture on the P50 note. There may be other places or things named in his honour that are not mentioned here. This is common if you look at Nelson Mandela in South Africa. There are many things and places named after him as the first democratically elected President of South Africa. But it shouldn't be too much and appear like Seretse Khama is the only one who matter.
There are few other people who have been honoured such as Phillip Moshotle also known as Mokgankgara, Julia Molefhe, David Livingstone and others.
The biggest referral hospital is named after Princes Marina who was the Queen's envoy during the period of our independence.
There seems to be an inertia in the government enclave on naming of public places or buildings or facilities in the honour of our legends. It is unclear why this is the case.
Many of our legends haven't been honoured; Philip Matante, Motsamai Mpho, Mike Dingake, Fish Keitseng, Kenneth Koma, Ketumile Masire, Festus Mogae, Mompati Merafhe, Gaositwe Chiepe, Moutlakgola Nwako and many others. It is not only politicians but other people in different fields. Why not name Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Botswana Agricultural University, Francistown Airport and Maun Airport after men and women who have worked for this country? Why not name the Thebephatshwa Airbase after Matante who was the first politician to publicly advocate for the establishment of an army in Botswana? Why not name the Eastern Military Garrison after our first military commander Mompati Merafhe? Why do we continue to have facilities such as National stadium, Francistown stadium, Lobatse Sports Complex, Maun Sports Complex, Serowe Stadium, Phikwe Stadium etc when we have so many sports and other legends we haven't honoured?
I've been to a few countries and travel a lot and I am yet to be shown a facility called a National Stadium. The people of Selebi-Phikwe have in the past suggested that their sports facility be named after the founder of Satmos Football Club, the late Samuel Sono, arguably the biggest contributor to local football from Phikwe in terms of ideas and actual contribution. In the US, the state of Washington is named after the first President of the free world and there has been a suggestion of another state named Franklin after another founding father Benjamin Franklin.
There are at least four state capitals named after US presidents. In South Africa there's a campaign and process for name changing of places, institutions and facilities especially to address past injustices of the institutionalised racism of apartheid. Heroes and heroines such as Walter Sisulu, Steve Biko, Harry Gwala, Peter Mokaba, Hellen Suzman, Robert Sobukwe, Ruth First, Joe Slovo, Lillian Ngoyi, and Chris Hani have facilities such as stadia, hospitals, clinics, public squares, roads and other things named in their honour? If you go to a university like the University of Western Cape, you will find dormitories and other facilities named after esteemed people. I'm told UB students unofficially named a dormitory after Dag Hammarskjold, former UN Secretary General who died in a plane crash and a freedom square after Segametsi Mogomotsi.
There is a need to introspect on honouring Botswana's icons. There has to be a proper codified policy guideline and or regulatory regime which will ensure transparency and accountability. There has to be a systematic way of honouring our heroes and heroines from politics to performing arts to sports etc. What obtains currently is bad for us as a country, it's like we don't have celebrities.
The city councils and town councils are trying with streets naming but it is not enough. More has to be done in this regard.