MELS on the State of the Nation Address

EDWARD BULE
Correspondent: | Friday November 5, 2010 00:00

The press statement signed by the MELS president, Themba Joina, criticizes the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) for failure to diversify the economy. 

The statement lambastes the IMF and the World Bank for arm-twisting the government into putting breaks on a number of projects. The 'big capitalist institutions' are further accused of 'talking of privatizing, moving away from social welfare programmes'.

On the decentralization, MELS says the ruling party has concentrated too much power in the central government, causing the collapse of district councils and poor service delivery on the ground. The party says the BDP government has no clear policy on decentralization.

MELS argues people want meaningful reforms so that their voices may be heard in Parliament. The statement says the reason the BDP does not want electoral reforms is because it 'is corrupt and fears that any reforms may rock the boat'.

Touching on bogosi, the socialist party applauds Bakgatla for reviving the traditional institution at a time when the BDP government has 'completely mutilated' it.

MELS finds it unacceptable that the government has gone 'further and humiliate dikgosi to the point of imprisoning them'.

The party calls on the government to resolve the crisis bedevilling bogosi in Kgatleng and Kweneng. Failure to do so, MELS warns, could result in security challenges. The President should have intervened in the 'Bakgatla problem'.

MELS says President Khama will repeat things in his State of the Nation address with the objective of popularizing government projects 'which are not effective.'

It says 'there will be emphasis on social welfare programmes to reduce poverty.

As long as these projects are based along capitalist principles, there is nothing the poor and exploited workers can expect from them. These projects have also put Government on a collision course with their masters - IMF.'

The statement adds that the BDP government has failed to take control of the economy since independence. 'The so-called world recession is the result of a capitalist crisis that started in imperialist USA and directly affected Botswana as her economy is linked to the USA economy,' MELS says, adding that only socialism can save Botswana.

Calling for dissolution of Parliament and fresh elections, MELS says the BDP has collapsed and national resources should not be used to try and revive it. 'To use state machinery to suppress bogosi, workers, progressive individuals and parties is not acceptable,' it says.

'The BDP government must avoid the use of security organs, BURS, the courts and other institutions to suppress and humiliate its critics.'