Nasha takes aim at Khama

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Tuesday February 16, 2016 09:35

 

Nasha who was welcomed into the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) on Sunday during a hugely attended rally at Maruapula, said that she could not take it anymore because she was unhappy with Khama’s rule.

Nasha, who was hailed by many speakers for her efforts in the fight for the independence of Parliament, said that her relationship with Khama had been soiled long before she wrote her book “Madam Speaker Sir”.

She said that under Khama’s leadership, decisions are made without any interrogations only to be reversed the following day. This, she said, is because decisions are taken when his heart is filled with anger.

“Decisions are just made because someone is angry with something. They don’t take time to think through them. Ke puso ya tenego,” she said.

Nasha said under Khama, there is no debate within the party as there is too much fear. She said people are unhappy but are scared to talk because they fear the President. She said she was called names because she questioned a lot of the things that were happening within the BDP “Ke ne ke bidiwa tsoga re omane ka gore ke ne ke botsa thata fa ke sa dumalane le tshwetso nngwe e Tautona a e tsayang.”

Nasha laughed off comments that she is too old saying that she still has the “teeth to bite”. She expressed surprise that people are saying she quit the BDP because she could not get the position she wanted. She said she does not see any problem for one to aspire for a top position as long as the person is qualified.

“It is not a problem to aspire for a high position when you qualify. They say I left because I wanted to be in power. Yes, because I am qualified to be the president of this country by birth and descent.

“I am educated; I went to school and passed. I didn’t run away from school at break time. My parents are Batswana and I was born here.”

She said that unlike Khama, these two points qualify her to be president.

“I have achieved what I have because I deserved it. I have the credentials. I didn’t get any favours unlike him.”

Meanwhile UDC president, Duma Boko, said his party also needs elders who have love for the citizens of Botswana. He said that Nasha is an exemplary leader who did a sterling job while she was Speaker of the National Assembly. He quoted from a speech he delivered in 2011 during a Botswana National Front (BNF) congress when he praised Nasha for the good job she was doing in Parliament.

At the time Nasha was still with the BDP. He said that her continued courage to defy orders from the President was always going to be a risky move, as it was unknown within the BDP.

“I said that by doing what she was doing, she was putting herself at risk of not being in the good books of those in power. These words were prophetic,” he said.

Nasha was welcomed together with former Head of News at RB1, Moreri Gabakgorwe and Mothusi Sekgwa who is a former BDP Executive Secretary.