Police did the right thing, the wrong way
Friday, August 12, 2016
Risky business: The protestors were violently dispersed on Monday
Did the decision by police officers on Monday, to blow a whistle and sjambok protestors amount to ‘forceful dispersal’ or police brutality?
In terms of the right to gather, the law is clear. For three or more people to gather at an open space with the intent to conduct a public meeting, they need to seek permission from the police.
These are not ordinary times. Yet, history reminds us that this nation has navigated difficult waters before and did so by clinging firmly to the principles of prudence and macroeconomic stability. From independence in 1966, Botswana chose a path few resource-rich countries managed to sustain. Diamond revenues were not treated as windfalls for reckless expansion, but as capital to be managed with caution. The establishment of fiscal rules,...