A letter written by his own Labour MP, calling for his immediate resignation, was expected to have been circulated and supported by fellow Labour MPs today. These interesting developments come within days of the British local government and elections to the European Parliament.The British prime minister is under tremendous pressure from the media, and parliament to resign after two cabinet ministers resigned following strings of revelations about their personal expenses. There is something Botswana can learn here.Those who have been watching the BBC news will attest to the fact that the debates in the British parliament over the last few days have been stimulating. The debates have been very frank and hard-hitting yet respectful. This is an example of democracy in action, where MPs, regardless of their party affiliation, are free to express their views in parliament, including passing a motion of no confidence in their prime minister. The British parliament has exhibited tenacity, and fearlessness in debating issues of public interest. It can only happen in Britain. Botswana lacks this type of parliament. This type of debate here can only be seen between the ruling party MPs and the opposition. In Botswana, during parliamentary debates it is taboo for ruling Party MPs to attack their own leader. In fact those who dare do that, like it happened with Tonota MP, Pono Moatlhodi, recently faced expulsion from the party.A burning issue in Botswana politics currently is the cold-blooded murder of a civilian by security forces. While the opposition have made their voices clear, there has been muted reaction from the ruling party MPs, for fear of victimisation. So far only Sidney Pilane, an attorney, and former president Festus Mogae's legal advisor, has been the only voice from the ruling Party to criticize the government and President Ian Khama.Botswana politics is yet to appreciate that democracy and freedom of expression extend even to scenarios similar to those going on in the British Parliament currently whereby the ruling party MPs can tell their leader enough is enough. Our ruling party MPs have watched in silence as anti-democratic laws such as the media bills, increase of specially elected MPs to eight, and the alcohol levy, to cite but a few were enacted at the whim of President Khama. We hope the events in England will be a lesson, to our democrats to open up to the reality that democracy extends to even the ruling party receiving blows of criticism from their own MPs. After all, these MPs are in Parliament to protect and fight for the interest of the members of the public who elected them into that parliament.
Today's Thought
