After almost a year in office post the 2024 General Election, we promise the reader to duly scrutinise the performance of our legislators in the 13th Parliament.
We promise to make an informed, fair, and honest assessment of the contributions of honourable men and women in Parliament ahead of the November Parliament sitting.
As a reminder, we would like to revisit one of our past stories, ahead of the October 2024 General Election, in which we shed light on the power of Freedom Square politics.
Sample this: Botswana has produced some of the outstanding freedom square hawks who have left a lasting impression in the minds of many through their unparalleled ability to hold people spellbound with their humour-loaded and entertaining politics. Botswana has had and still has gifted demagogues with the skills to turn non-issues into big issues.
These are real soapbox orators who can tell a political mountain to move, and it metaphorically moves, with their prickling language and expressions at the rallies.
These are politicians who were and are still capable of attracting masses to the rallies without the power of money, food, and alcohol that are often used to attract the masses. Many of them continue to be dearly missed as they have long departed to the other world.
Our politicians have the magical touch to use freedom square politicking to win the hearts and minds of the masses. We, however, would like to warn politicians to work very hard and deliver on their promises, as before they know it, they will realise that no more time is left ahead of another rigorous moment at the 2029 General Election. Freedom squares have produced politicians and it is time for politicians to deliver to the masses before the next round of elections.
Batswana seem to be a changed lot, as they no longer have blind loyalty to their parties and Members of Parliament (MPs) or civic leaders. They now value their votes and choose well, be warned.
We warn both MPs and councillors to walk and talk with their constituents, as returning to people towards the national polls might not bear the desired fruits.
Politicians tend to return to the freedom squares only when they are about to launch their campaigns ahead of the elections. If you know you gobsmacked the masses at the political rallies, the freedom squares should be the office where you politicians meet the electorate not only when you prepare for the next polls. A quick check of the majority of the freedom squares this week reflected places overgrown with vegetation, with some turned into dump sites and almost inoperable. An explanation by a sitting MP and Minister of State was that some politicians, after winning the elections, tend to selfishly look at themselves and remove their eyes from those who have employed them.
Some would even change how they walk and choose new friends to match the newly acquired political status until they are caught up by the rigours of the next polls. In our quest to hold our politicians accountable, our actions should never be misconstrued to be pursuing personal agendas. We have a duty to make our politicians and others accountable for their actions.
“Failing to hold someone accountable is ultimately an act of selfishness.”- Patrick Lencioni
