Demonstrations and protests should intensify :: Mmegi Online

In a democracy, universal adult suffrage is a fundamental political right; the ruled should periodically in a free and fair atmosphere, elect or remove rulers. In addition, the rulers, in the near impossibility of direct democracy in the Athenian sense, should be accountable to the ruled directly or through their representatives.

One way in which the masses can hold the rulers accountable is through the exercise of the right to protest through peaceful demonstrations. Moreover, pluralism is the political essence of a democratic polity; public policy ought to be an outcome of divergent contestation of ideas by various groups. Citizens of Botswana should start exercising their freedom of assembly and association as well as their freedom of expression to peacefully assemble and petition the government for a redress of their grievances.

There are many grievances; unemployment and underemployment, poverty, wealth and income gaps, water and power shortages, poor health and education standards and poor working conditions by employers including the government. The economy is also in the hands of foreigners with Batswana spectating in the periphery or getting crumbs from the wealthy foreigners.

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