Statement on remarks made by BDF Commander; Lt. Gen Tebogo Masire

The Opposition Collective in the National Assembly of Botswana condemns in the strongest terms certain remarks attributed to Botswana Defence Force Commander; Lieutenant General Tebogo Masire at a press conference on June 29 2011.

In particular we wish to isolate his statement  wherein he  levelled unfounded accusations at  the Opposition.  An examination of the remarks in question clearly demonstrates that by attacking opposition politicians and falsely  accusing them  of inciting BDF officers to stage a mutiny  during the recent public sector strike,   General  Masire deliberately crossed the line into active  partisan politics.  We do not recall any instance in the history of this country when  a BDF Commander has ever assumed such a partisan political posture in favour of the ruling party.