Shocking degree of hypocrisy from the top

Mmegi Editor | Friday March 10, 2017 11:50

From a distance he still has a lot of energy, thanks to his many years in the military, which requires a lot of physical activity.

In 2009, he made a shocking and rude statement that he does not want to work with old people, and that old people should retire. At the time he was referring to the then Secretary General of Botswana Democratic Party Daniel Kwelagobe, who was in his 60s and having served the party since his teens. Last year the same Khama brought back from retirement his former cabinet members among them former Vice President Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, Johnny Swartz and others to serve in the Government under a specially created unit. They are all in their 70s.

Late last year the President said in an interview with Reuters that his Zimbabwean counterpart Robert Mugabe should step down because he is old, the call he has made since he ascended to the Presidency.

Last week, the President ordered his cabinet minister Shaw Kgathi to publish a Bill seeking to amend the Constitution to empower him to appoint Court of Appeal judges, as well as increase their retirement age to 80-years-old. This was in response to an embarrassment caused by the recent ruling by High Court justice Abednego Tafa.

The President’s sudden discovery that older people are important for this country should worry us all, especially when such people are secured jobs as critical as making final judgments. The job requires them to do a lot of research, which requires a lot of energy. It will be a lot to ask from an 80-year-old.

Judges hold the key to denying some persons their freedom; they can decide to end someone’s life; they can decide to set free a corrupt or criminally implicated person; and most importantly, their judgments can result in political instability in the country.

As the President said in the early years of his Presidency, older people should retire and indeed HE should allow judges who are approaching the age of 80 to do exactly that. There are many young Batswana who can serve in both benches of the High Court and the Court of Appeal.

What is also disturbing is that for many years, the President and his party ignored calls for a comprehensive review of the Constitution arguing that it is perfect, and serving us well. Suddenly, the President and his crew are calling for an amendment of the Constitution to serve their interests. We reject any Constitutional amendment with the sole purpose of serving the interests of one person and his inner circle. MPs should also reject this Bill with the contempt it deserves.

 

Today’s thought 

“The judiciary must not take on the coloration of whatever may be popular at the moment. We are guardian of rights, and we have to tell people things they often do not like to hear. ” 

- Rose Bird