The celebration of Independence in Gaborone
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
Brian Anderson
Swaneng, at the latter, had a battery of volunteer teachers – surely some of them must have taken photos? But now Brian Anderson, formerly an Inspector in the Botswana Police, has started to send me some of the very important photos from his collection, which were taken in the years immediately before and after Independence.
Unfortunately they are all very low resolution because he does not possess a decent scanner – might the government regard it as an excellent investment to give him one? - and sometimes without adequate description. This particular photo, for instance, is a teaser. It shows the Chief Justice and his wife arriving at what is obviously the National Stadium – there being nowhere else at the time which looked even remotely similar. They are being escorted to their seats by Dingaan Mokaila – at a guess, the Chief of Protocol at the time - whilst Col. Bailey, Officer Commanding the Police, medalled and beribboned, stands statuesquely by the government vehicles. In the crowd at the left can be seen – depending on the quality of reproduction – David Finlay, the President’s personal private secretary, although the exact title of that post would need to be better pinned down.
It highlights the need to protect rights such as access to clean water, education, healthcare and freedom of expression.President Duma Boko, rightly honours past interventions from securing a dignified burial for Gaoberekwe Pitseng in the CKGR to promoting linguistic inclusion. Yet, they also expose a critical truth, that a nation cannot sustainably protect its people through ad hoc acts of compassion alone.It is time for both government and the...