Beware of political corruption in by-elections

Dithapelo Keorapetse | Friday March 11, 2016 13:31

Almost all Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Members of Parliament (MPs) who stood up to contribute on the Committee of Supply budget debates congratulated their party and candidate and threw jabs at the opposition for the latter’s loss.

Clearly the BDP has been yearning for this win, having lost all six elections post 2014 general elections.

Sekoma by-election was important to the opposition because the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) have signed a by-election agreement which among others entail a clause binding the two not to oppose each other for all by-elections. The agreement was signed in Keng village in the Sekoma ward and the ceremony was combined with the launch of the UDC candidate for the by-election. The agreement is an important milestone and one could say it was effectively a prerequisite for 2019 cooperation talks; through it the duo will warm up to each other as they’re going to be working together in by-elections. Pessimists and cynics are already writing off the combined opposition because of the recent loss in Sekoma. The are saying in politics one plus one is not always two and that perhaps opposition followers are objecting to the cooperation agreement between the two opposition parties, or words to that effect. Critics argue that even if the opposition unite against the BDP in 2019, it would not win the state power. Really? The BDP’s recent win should be examined profoundly to draw inferences. It is true that a united opposition will not win all the wards and constituencies in the country in by-elections and 2019 elections. However, the opposition will garner more than enough seats to win government. No amount of skepticism or cynicism would convince the opposition that what they’re intending to do is wrong.

The BDP sees that its support base is waning. Over 53% of Batswana did not prefer the ruling party at the ballot box in 2014. It is a fact that for the first time since 1965 elections, more than 50% of Batswana rejected the ruling party. The opposition split votes in over 12 constituencies and many wards because it was disintegrated in 2014. Government is won by just 29 seats and the opposition would have gotten over 32 parliamentary seats. There’s no better time for the opposition to cooperate than now for 2019 elections.

As the BDP sinks further into internal crisis of succession battles and wars and declining popular vote and a strong possibility of being toppled in 2019, it has, is and will resort to unorthodox means of clinging to power. It has resorted to political corruption and this would intensify in future by-elections and in 2019. In by-elections in Goodhope-Mabule constituency and Sekoma Ward, the corruption was apparent. The BDP literally buys votes; it distributes food hampers and paraphernalia to buy votes. But this is just a small tactic of the larger strategy. The strategy is to use money from its funders who benefit from the state to buy votes and use state resources in a manner that suit what political scientist call Political Business Cycle.

Most undeserving businessmen and some few businesswomen who are linked to the ruling party win lucrative government contracts simply because they are linked to the BDP. For instance, some are running tertiary institutions, which periodically dispense fake qualifications to young people sponsored by the government. The government under the BDP does not care about the quality of education at some of these schools. There are many examples of this state capture kind of system. These are the people who are prepared to bankroll the ruling party with the hope of more government contracts. In addition to endeavours to suffocate the opposition with money, the ruling party spends more state resources and bend the rules to get more people into government programmes. Social workers and other civil servants are specifically instructed to either entice constituents who are about to go into a by-election with government freebies or social welfare programmes. People, especially in rural and poverty stricken constituencies or wards, are promised and actually given all sorts of things like destitute houses, enrolment into Ipelegeng piece jobs etcetera. Why do you think that there are more kgotla meetings in areas where there are by-elections?

A question was asked in Parliament recently on the number of Kgotla meetings and government activities in Goodhope-Mabule constituency during the period of by-elections as compared to the same at the time when there were no by-elections. The answer was not shocking or was as expected; more meetings were held and other government activities. Councils, tribal administrations, district officers and commissioners and other government workers are put under pressure to dispense more government freebies to buy votes and where possible just to make wild promises. More ministers officially visit areas where there is a by-election for this purpose. Moreover, state media coverage; Botswana Television (BTV), Radio Botswana and Daily News coverage is skewed in favour of the ruling party.

All these activities point to political corruption. The opposition has to, in addition to its concerted efforts, brace themselves for this kind of corruption. They should not be complacent and think that when they are united, it follows that they would win. It would require hard work and counter-strategies to the ruling party’s corruption. Goal posts may be shifted in some instances and the opposition should be ready at all times.