Combative Merafhe fires from all barrels

BAME PIET
Staff Writer | Wednesday December 8, 2010 00:00

 

In fact, he said their comments were 'terribly provocative' as the MPs attacked the integrity of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and its leader.

He said the speech of Leader of Opposition, Botsalo Ntuane questioned the legitimacy of Khama's presidency.

He said a majority of Batswana voted for Khama and BDP and opposition MPs were rude and arrogant when they questioned the president's leadership.

He warned the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) to stop dreaming about winning elections in 2014. He said many people are angry with BMD for breaking away from BDP and have vowed to punish them. He likened the behaviour of BMD MPs as that of people 'angry with the world, angry with themselves and anything in the world'.

'They are incubators of hatred,' he said. BMD is split from BDP saying that the leadership of the party had lost the way.

Apparently, Merafhe's mission yesterday was to hit hard at the BMD. Though a septuagenarian, the VP still mixes his contributions with slang.

He rubbed Gaborone Central MP Dumelang Saleshando the wrong way when he labelled opposition MPs as hopeless creatures.

Saleshando forced the VP to retract the statement saying it is un-parliamentary.

Merafhe said Ntuane's speech did not offer any alternatives to government poverty eradication initiative, citizen empowerment and economic diversification programmes.

He termed the speech as motivational and self-aggrandisement by Leader of Opposition.

He said he is disappointed with the quality of the speech saying if indeed it reflects the views of the combined opposition, then there is 'poor quality of brainpower in opposition, which would make it easy for BDP to continue ruling.

He said opposition parties are not going to stand the test of time and are going 'to dissipate like snow on a hot summer day' come 2014.

Merafhe said that the Ipelegeng scheme is working well for poor people who could not make ends meet.

He added that even the youth appreciate government schemes intended to empower them saying that they do not associate with opposition parties. He asserted that the government will continue deporting foreigners who are a threat to national security. 'We cannot be sentimental about the security of this country and if a foreigner is an undesirable element, we will deport them,' he said.

Merafhe said the head of Intelligence Services Isaac Kgosi has a right to respond to accusations leveled against him by politicians especially MPs.

He said the MPs should expect the same response from members of the public if they use rude language or make unconfirmed allegations and accusations against individuals.

Despite claims state spies are following people and eavesdropping on their private telephone conversations, Merafhe said that the government will not waste money and time following what he called 'nihilists'.

He accused BMD of initiating calls for constitutional amendments after the lost a High Court case challenging Khama's unilateral actions in the BDP. MPs from both sides of the political divide have called for constitutional amendments or review. 

Merafhe said he is at a loss why the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and Botswana National Front (BNF) are calling for the amendments.

He argued that the constitution has served the country well for the past 40 years and should remain untouched in the next four decades, perhaps even 100 years to come.