BCP, UDC Demonstrate Against Child Sexual Abuse In Sebina
Chakalisa Dube | Monday May 23, 2016 16:07
The demonstration and rally were staged in the wake of the recent alleged Facebook conversation involving prominent Sebina councillor, Kemmonye Amon, who has impregnated a teenage senior school girl. The incident has attracted strong criticism from rights groups, opposition parties and the general public around the country.
The leaked Facebook conversation between Amon and the Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Fidelis Molao, who is also Shashe West Member of Parliament (MP) are also alleged to have attempted to conceal the incident. Both Molao and Amon have distanced themselves from the Facebook conversation, claiming that their accounts were hacked into and the conversation staged.
Critics have labelled their denial a public relations exercise. Both Molao and Amon said they have since reported the alleged hackings to the police. The weekend’s well-attended demonstration, which was the main activity, was organised by youth from the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) with the support of their colleagues from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Senior activists from the two parties also joined the protests. During the demonstration, the activists waved placards with various messages denouncing child sexual abuse. Some placards carried messages calling for Amon and Molao to resign.
Protesters also sang songs filled with displeasure with the main target being the President Ian Khama-led government, which is accused of failing to take stern action against Molao and Amon despite serious allegations levelled against them. There was also significant presence of police officers and state security agents during the protest. The protest, which lasted for over two hours started between Marobela and Sebina. The demonstration ended at Shangano Junior Secondary School which the impregnated girl reportedly used to attend. There was also a handover of a petition to Kgosi Kgakanyane Sebina. The petition was handed over just outside the Kgotla because no prior arrangement with the police to hand it inside (the kgotla) was made. The petition called on Sebina to lobby the village leadership to call for Amon’s resignation because his actions besmirched the integrity of the village.
However, Kgosi Sebina in his short remarks before driving off, said that although he accepted the petition he would not act on it. “The government will act on it,” he said to the multitude of activists who had encircled him.
BCP youth league president, Tumiso Rakgare said that they will continue pressing the President to take action against Amon. He said that the BCP and the UDC youth leagues will commemorate June 16 (Day of African Child) in Sebina in order to raise awareness against child sexual abuse as well as lobbying for action to be taken against Amon.
“We believe that President Ian Khama has the powers as per the BDP constitution to take act against Amon. He can ask him to resign, expel or suspend him from the party to show strong disapproval of his actions,” Rakgare said. The BCP youth league also urged Khama to force Molao to step down while he clears his name. Rakgare also condemned Khama’s recent stance on the Sebina saga. “The President has come out on record saying that Amon is not the only man who engages in sexual relationships with students,” “It is like he feels Amon is being victimised. It is disgusting for a President to create such an impression. Khama is our parent and he should take stern action against Amon more especially because he is a leader.
His (Khama) recent comments show that he cares little about the girl whose future has been destroyed by the councillor.” Rakgare said that he remained optimistic that Sebina will act on the petition.
“Despite what he said during the handover of the petition I think that he has advisors who will counsel him about the importance of acting on the petition,” Rakgare said.
Meanwhile, the police have said that they did not experience any major problem during the protests. “The demonstrations were peaceful. We only differed with the protesters when they wanted to handover the petition at the Kgotla. We refused because there was no prior arrangement (with the police) to do that,” said Tutume Police commander, superintendent Jerry Halala.