Saleshando on UDC, Wayeyi recognition
Boniface Keakabetse | Friday November 10, 2017 17:39
The former opposition hard man admits he is now living a quiet life from politics, running his cattle farm in Hainaveld farms and building his tourism campsite along the Thamalakane River. He offers his take, amongst other things, on developments in the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), other political matters and on Wayeyi paramount chief’s recognition.
Saleshando senior heaped praise on the latest crop of politicians for working hard to achieve opposition cooperation to wrestle power from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Saleshando explained that the UDC project is viable and if well executed, power will be in the hands of opposition in 2019. According to the elderly politician, past opposition cooperation projects failed, as parties believed they could single-handedly defeat BDP.
He cited Peoples Progressive Front (PPF), which is one of the opposition projects that failed in the past. Saleshando, who represented Botswana National Front (BNF) in the PPF talks, explained that it failed because BNF at that time had a secret agenda to destroy both the Botswana People’s Party (BPP) and Botswana Independence Party (BIP). “As BNF at that time, we never believed in the viability of opposition cooperation. In fact, we were in it because we wanted to kill BIP and BPP so we remain the only strong opposition party,” Saleshando said. “BIP got wind of the operation and excused itself from the talks and the talks eventually collapsed.“
Saleshando advised his son, Dumelang and Duma Boko and to tread carefully when dealing with the BPP president, Motlatsi Molapise. Talking from his experiences with Molapise, Saleshando alleged he (Molapise)was someone whose commitment to a political course was always suspect and prone to manipulations.
Saleshando said at the time of the PPF, Molapise represented the BPP while he represented the BNF. Saleshando argued: “I want to explain that at that time, Molapise did not have much influence like at the moment. To us, he was insignificant compared to his BPP comrades Knight Maripe and Nelson Maja who have both since died. However, he was always hard to trust.”
In his opinion, Molapise is a dead weight- albatross- that the UDC is forced to carry for the sake of the project to work, adding that: “If they alienate him, he may influence the AP [Alliance for Progressives] to stay away from the UDC, and this may not be good for the UDC project. Saleshando stated that should the UDC alienate Molapise, this might prove disastrous to the opposition politics”. He said as it stands, Molapise is both a danger to the UDC and even the newly-formed AP.
Saleshando told Mmegi that he spends his retired life running his farm in Hainaveld and his tourism businesses.
He added that he operates a guesthouse in Selebi-Phikwe and is in the process of opening a campsite at Matlapana ward in Maun. On other issues, Saleshando challenged the government to release a report of a commission of enquiry that was set up to investigate him and the late former Okavango Member of Parliament, Joseph Kavindama.
Saleshando said one issue that is disheartening and disturbing him in his retirement is the BDP’s tendency to accuse him and Kavindama of deceiving Ngamiland people when the BDP has failed to verify such accusations. He said such accusations were recently repeated by Vice President, Mokgweetsi Masisi in Maun East. Saleshando explained that in 1996, following the outbreak of Contagious Bovine Pleuro Pneumonia (CBPP), commonly known as lung disease, rumours spread that him and Kavindama were responsible for spreading untruths about CBPP in Ngamiland. Saleshando said they were blamed for the disease’s spread in the entire district. He explained that their crucification resulted in them being called to appear before a commission of enquiry, which was set up to investigate the disease’s spread in the district. He said:
“Together with Kavindama, we objected to the killing and burning of cattle by government. Instead the government accused us of fuelling the disease spread in the district”.
He said it is now 20 years since they appeared before the commission and the government is yet to make the report public. He said only the report can save them from false accusations and BDP propaganda. “Kavindama was my friend. Why are they doing that to a fallen man? They should let him rest in peace.” Saleshando said since retiring, he has been active in the Kamanakao Cultural Association, which strives to promote the cultural identity of Wayeyi in Botswana. He noted that despite government’s recognition of Wayeyi chief, tribal discrimination is still rampant in Botswana.
“Our chief is recognised, but he does not have the same status as the chiefs of the so-called eight major tribes.” Saleshando also encouraged government to scrap the discriminatory Territorial Act, as it defines territories of just eight tribes, stating that the Act must be repealed for equality.
Saleshando explained that he has dedicated his time to community development on an advisory role to help Ngamiland communities fight rampant poverty. “The bulk of poverty in Ngamiland is caused by policy failure. Our policies are not cognisant that our lives are inherently relied on natural resources’ exploitation. How can we be a rich district of poor people?”
He explained that he has identified a leadership vacuum that exist at local levels. “We need to strengthen our local leadership for us to have a strong voice.” Saleshando explained that therefore he is spending a lot of his time studying research findings by Okavango Research Institute to better his understanding on what the district needs.