The 12 post 2009 election variables
Friday, October 31, 2014
The 2011 Industrial Strike
Just two years after Khama was tested at an election event for the very first time as president, the country witnessed an industrial strike which was unprecedented in the history of Botswana. The BDP had just scored a landslide victory in the previous election and they undoubtedly went to sleep over their gains. When one traces the birth of the Umbrella for Democratic Change, we come to realise that it was here at the GSS grounds where the workers pleaded with opposition political parties to form a coalition.
While it is widely acknowledged that Khama holds the title of Kgosi, the government’s failure to properly gazette his recognition has raised serious concerns about adherence to legal procedures and the credibility of traditional leadership. (See a story elsewhere in this newspaper.) Recent court documents by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse, shed light on the intricacies of Khama’s recognition process....