Kgosi arrest welcome but...
Saturday, May 25, 2019
However, it may be that he was arrested purely for political reasons; President Mokgweetsi Masisi is on propaganda and deceptive campaign that he thinks will make him popular. He sees Kgosi and Ian Khama as two sides of the same coin; big men behind the New Jerusalem faction of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in quest to dethrone him.
He may have instructed the arrest of Kgosi in full glare of the media to intimidate his BDP opponents and to check if the former Director General (DG) is spying on his faction. These are possibilities. Masisi is also likely a sponsor of the “foiled Israeli Coup plot” story in last week’s Sunday Standard. He seeks to send a message to the voters that Khama, Kgosi and everybody supporting Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi are out to oust him with the help of foreign elements such as the Israeli government, because he’s fighting corruption. He seeks public sympathy that he is under siege. Masisi uses all sorts of unconventional strategies and tactics to remain in power and the arrest my have been a public relations stunt to gullible voters who may think his government law enforcement agencies are doing something about erstwhile rogues. He should also be careful about politicising these institutions.
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...