Political hooliganism must fall

Mmegi Editor | Wednesday June 21, 2017 11:37

The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is going for its elective congress in Tonota next month. This congress has pitted the Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi, the incumbent chairperson against challenger, Infrastructure and Housing Development minister Nonofo Molefhi.

Oodles of controversy abound in this race. Early this year, it was reported that Molefhi supporters assaulted a Masisi sympathiser in Francistown during a party meeting. The matter was reported to the police who are still handling the case. Meanwhile, President Ian Khama has suspended the culprits from the party. 

The Francistown assault case was a precursor to other violent attacks against different supporters within the BDP factions. A few months ago, there was an audiotape of a very senior Cabinet member threatening a youthful party fellow who ‘invaded’ the constituency of the said minister without the consent of the latter.

The minister with a security portfolio, threatened violence against the young activist. “You cannot start a war that you cannot finish,” the minister was heard saying in the audio.  Despite the threats nothing was done against the minister.  The audiotape demonstrates how tense the Tonota congress is. It would not be a surprise if one would kill to prove a point.

Last week in Gaborone a Masisi sympathiser beat the living daylights out of two Molefhi supporters.  The matter was also reported to the police.  If it is not the BDP at war with itself, it’s the splinter party, the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) which has not known peace for two years now. The BMD National Executive Committee (NEC) does not see eye to eye.

It was recently reported that a retired Botswana Defence Force officer manhandled two senior NEC members who he reasoned intended to destroy his beloved movement. The MP and former legislator reported assault to the police. Social media over the weekend was awash with reports that in Sikwane, members belonging to the Mangole/Modubule faction assaulted a member sympathetic to the Gaolathe/Mmolotsi faction.

The BMD is also going for its elective congress in Bobonong next month. BMD members belonging to two main factions exchange harsh words on social media on a daily basis. These confrontations towards elective congresses are not peculiar only to the BDP and the BMD. In 1998, the Botswana National Front (BNF) factions had a massive falling out that resulted in the birth of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP).

Blows were exchanged between the warring factions in Palapye during an elective congress. This demonstrates that political hooliganism has been part and parcel of the country’s political movements for many years. This is because at the forefront to the infighting are also leaders of warring factions. Fortunately, these physical confrontations have not resulted in death yet.

However, we cannot rule out that possibility in the future. Before that happens, it is incumbent upon party leaders to denounce hooliganism in their parties as a matter of urgency.  Political thuggery must fall.

 

Today’s thought

“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” 

– Isaac Asimov