Khama is as good as being on an indefinite sabbatical leave

* KESITEGILE GOBOTSWANG | Tuesday March 9, 2010 00:00

If there is anytime when a President should be visible it is when a country is going through an economic, political, and social upheaval.  The idea is to assure the nation that  things are under control and government is as concerned as everyone else. In Botswana the president seems to think otherwise.

When John Kalafatis was brutally murdered by some sections of the security forces the country was almost pushed to the brink.  It is still a miracle how the country escaped violent riots as it was the case with the Segametsi incident. 

Following the death of Kalafatis, there was a national outcry. The citizens were gripped in fear and felt vulnerable.There were more questions than answers.  Citizen for Justice Forum, the brainchild of Kgosi Kgafela II was established to push for action against perpetrators.  Khama failed to appreciate that he was ultimately accountable to the nation. Instead he appeared to be more concerned about himself and protecting his image. He is still to send condolescences to the family of Kalafatis - at least on our behalf.

When Botswana and the rest of the world experienced a devastating economic recession, we had to depend on pronouncements made by powerful foreign leaders in terms of the extent of the problem and strategies employed to get out of the crisis. We were banking in the hope that whatever they did could ultimately have a positive effect on the local economy. For president Khama it was business as usual as he went on a spending spree on populist programmes often announced around bonfires in remote places across the country.

Then there was a story that one of Khama's senior ministers who happens to be his cousin, Ramadeluka Seretse had a company (RFT Botswana Pty Ltd) that was doing business with the ministry he was responsible for.  There was yet another public outcry as the dealing was perceived to have elements of conflict of interest and corruption.

The Botswana Congress Party demanded that Seretse should do the most honourable thing and resign or else the President should dismiss him from his position.

Almost three months after the revelations the minister has ignored calls for him to resign. The President has also contemptuously failed to act on the matter. It would appear that when it comes to his friends and relatives President Khama follows the 'see no eveil' and 'hear no evil' instinct. For this reason there is no way Khama will act against his brother, Anthony Khama for obstructing justice, threatening and insulting the Botswana Police Officers.

Currently, the country is going through a political scandal of monumental proportions involving De Beers, Debswana Mining Company, former president of Botswana Sir Ketumile Masire, and the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). In recent weeks, the local media has been awash with reports of an unholly alliance between the diamond mining companies, Masire, and the ruling BDP.

It has been reported and De Beers has not denied it that diamond mining companies had a secret slush fund used to sponsor BDP political activities; that the diamond mining companies secretly used millions of pulas to bail out Masire who was suffering from chronic debt. There is a national outcry over the matter. The nation wants to know what De Beers and Debswana got in return for millions of money used to sponsor the BDP and pay for Masire's debts. The sudden and still to be explained death of one of the key players in the whole saga former Managing Director of Debswana Louis Nchindo has not helped the situation. 

Readers will recall that recently Botswana almost went to war with Zimbabwe over the arrest of wildlife officers who accidnetly crossed into Zimbabwe while on official duty. The undeplomatic war talk that is charasteristic of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Interantional Cooperation Phandu Sekelemani worsened an already bad situation. Often times, Sekelemani comes out as one who is in charge of Defense and Security - ruri naga e senang khudutlou ga go thata.

In the mist of all these developments Khama has remained silent and absent. To him it is business as usual. He is going about his business as if nothing is happening that has the potential to further tarnish the already bartered image of our diamonds and that of the country. The president must be advised that sitting around bonfires in the middle of summer will not solve the ongoing political, economic, and social crisis facing the country. He must come back and lead or hand over power to his ill-tempered and intolerant Vice President - re itlhoboge.

Let us face it, ours is a president who is as good as being on an indefinite sabbatical leave. Batswana ought to tighten up because the country is on a autopilot mode.

* Dr Gobotswang is Deputy President of the Botswana Congress Party.