ZANU-PF and BDP have an uncanny resemblance?

*KESITEGILE GOBOTSWANG | Friday July 4, 2008 00:00

This is quite refreshing especially as the country is emerging from a battered international image following the mishandling of the relocation of the Gana and Gwi from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). The Botswana government must be commended for taking a bold and progressive position on the Zimbabwean question risking insults from disgraced Robert Mugabe and his cronies. Obviously Mugabe's close friends like Thabo Mbeki of South Africa will not be happy with the principled position taken by Botswana. But who cares about a leader whose legacy is already in tatters. The man is on his way out anyway.

Botswana and a few other countries have at long last broken a long repugnant African tradition of the so-called non-interference in the internal affairs of another brotherly country. The discredited policy of silent diplomacy suffered a fatal blow in Egypt.

After more than four decades of total absence of a locally brewed foreign policy, Botswana is finally charting a truly independent foreign policy that will make it a key regional and international player. Botswana has assumed the status she deserves as the oldest multi-party democracy in Africa. In no uncertain terms the government of Botswana has correctly pronounced that the second round of the Zimbabwean elections was not legitimate and by extension the outcome of the one man show must not be accepted.

While we celebrate our newly found glory, we must closely reflect on the latest post election events in Kenya and Zimbabwe with a view to drawing some valuable lessons.

We need to ask ourselves whether Botswana, which has enjoyed a long history of peace is immune to such political troubles. A few years ago who could have imaged that a peaceful country like Zimbabwe could easily slide into such a political crisis? If one takes a close look at the electoral processes in Botswana, one can easily notice some worrying early warning signs that need urgent attention to avoid a similar situation.

In Botswana, as is the case in Kenya and Zimbabwe, the independence of the Independent Electoral Commission is contentious. The interference of the Office of the President in the affairs of the IEC is well documented. The political playing field is not leveled either since the ruling party is indirectly funded through public resources. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party also receives millions of Pula from unknown sources, while the opposition mainly funds its campaigns from their own pockets. Like ZANU-PF the ruling BDP enjoys the monopoly of the public media thus disadvantaging the opposition parties. By coming up with the Media Practitioners Bill of 2008, the government of Botswana is introducing the Zimbabwean type of draconian media laws that will stifle free flow of information. Self-regulation by media practitioners, not government control is the way to go.

Over the years the government of Zimbabwe became increasingly intolerant of views that are critical of the ruling ZANU-PF regime. The final outcome was the criminalization of criticism of Mugabe. In Botswana, the recent controversy where Botsalo Ntuane, who is a legislator, was forced to retract his public comments on the new liquor regulations should serve as a clear warning that our democracy is sliding backward.

The government of Botswana must understand that it cannot preach democracy to outside countries, while at the same time resorting to measures that are undemocratic at home. Elections in Botswana may be free but they are certainly not fair. As the Setswana saying goes, Mmapudi ga ipone se se mo tlhogong!

*Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang is the Vice President of the opposition Botswana Congress Party.