Whatever its errors of omission or commission, the BDP deserves credit for the good that it has done for Botswana. The party has the capacity of causing serious trouble given its numerical strength in Parliament, but it has acted with much more restrain than its peers elsewhere on the African continent. The BDP operates a de facto one-party state that it might have easily made de jure, especially during the dark days of dictatorships, coups and revolutions in Africa. However, Domkrag was wise enough not only to resist the temptation to suppress plural politics but to avoid the leftist driven economic policies that left a trail of ruin throughout the continent. Under the BDP, Botswana has developed from one of the poorest countries in the world to middle income status while maintaining its position as Africa's longest running multi-party democracy. The gains Botswana has made under the BDP are well-known and need no elaboration here. Hence it is strange that when the party that has ruled Botswana since independence is turning 50, the main opposition formations should show such indecision, immaturity and confusion when invited to the celebrations. Save for the Botswana National Front (BNF) that has categorically said it would not be coming to the party, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) have been anything but decisive or consistent on the simple matter of an invitation to a jamboree. But this should not have been the case because mirth is also of Heavens' making. It shows a level of political immaturity from some quarters so soon after the opposition in South Africa set a good example by embracing the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in its centenary celebrations. Opposition leaders should have been mature enough to break bread with the party they seek to defeat in elections because that makes for admirable statesmanship. Besides, it does not make much sense for South Africa's ANC to attend events organised by the opposition or the BDP here without discrimination while we cannot extend the same courtesy to one another. Like the BDP, the ANC is a ruling party, but is historically and ideologically closer to the BNF. Yet it has demonstrated maturity by attending events organised by each of the two in turns and lost nothing by this. Similarly, President Ian Khama lost nothing by attending a BCP rally some time ago or Botsalo Ntuane's wedding last year despite political differences. We may belong to different parties but we are not deadly enemies.
Today's thought
"Statesmanship is harder than politics. Politics is the art of getting along with people, whereas statesmanship is the art of getting along with politicians."
- Fletcher Knebel, American author
