The mirage that was Ian Khama, 2008-2018

Correspondent | Friday November 24, 2017 17:16

 

The nation that united and rallied behind its President, is reeling in anguish, disappointment and utter consternation that has come to characterise it’s leaders myriad character.  Khama maintained consistency in hyping hope by throwing all sorts of platitudes like economic diversification, 5Ds (Democracy, Development, Delivery, Discipline and Dignity) which he put forth as his roadmap and which he does not only ignore but also failed to live up to at the close of his presidency.

In his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) on November 7, 2017, as in the past including the slouching President it was difficult to discern the real state of affairs of the nation as it was to notice whether it was his last, save from his assertion that he would hand the baton “in the capable hands of his Vice”, Mokgweetsi Masisi.

The address was as disconnected, full of idiosyncrasies of the man himself and detached from the reality on the ground.

He fared horribly in relation to even the parameters he set out for himself the(5Ds). With high levels of unemployment, crime and with so many job losses and unemployed graduates, there can’t be dignity.

Delivery remains a pipe dream across sectors i.e. health, housing etc. Indiscipline is manifest in the society, development is still marred by projects that were either not delivered on time with huge costs overruns, some billion pula projects that were never commissioned or delivered but of substandard quality and endemic corruption.

At the end of the Address, an unelected President hands power to his chosen successor who is also automatically ascending to the helm, thus giving him a competitive edge over other contenders who will vie for the position in 2019 general election.

He gave SONA which was live broadcast while the Leader of Opposition in Parliament is not accorded the same, he leaves a weaker Parliament and an even much stronger Executive, his regime vehemently and resolutely introduces electronic voting machines (EVM) despite rejection by majority of the citizens and in spite of a case in the courts of law challenging the same, these flies on the face of Democracy and is an indictment on the 5Ds, thus sealing his fate that he who stands for nothing, falls for anything.

MONCHO MONCHO