Peloetletse Lambasts BCP President

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Monday September 20, 2010 00:00

Saleshando was speaking at a seminar organised by Ditshwanelo and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung on issues affecting democracy in Botswana.

In his presentation, the BCP leader, said the first-past-the-post electoral system used in Botswana is not good because it excludes minorities like 'in the Central District where we have Basarwa groups. Which party will field a Motswana of Mosarwa origin in the Central District as a candidate? This system (First Past the Post) also does not attract a lot of women and the IEC has always called for a review of the system. There should be a national debate on it,' he said.

Peloetletse did not take kindly to Saleshando's statements and said it is improper to refer to people as a minority group. He said as far as he knows, Botswana is a homogeneous society where people have intermarried and have children together.'Can you point out to anyone and say he or she is a Mosarwa?' challenged Peloetletse.

The BCP leader stood his ground and reiterated that Botswana is not a homogeneous society.

'We do have minorities. It's a fact of life. It's a debate for another day,' said Saleshando.

Sidney Pilane of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) came to the rescue of his fellow opposition comrade and said ethnic identity is important and cannot be eschewed. 

'I am a Mokgatla and am proud of it. We can't say we are a homogenous society,' he said.