Ever since you left the Office of the President, you have not rested to retire in peace as expected. Batswana have instead been barraged by stunt after stunt as you desperately attempt to fool us about how you are unfairly treated or bullied, to use your words as heard from your recent short interview on Gabz FM.
By the way, that interview had all the hallmarks of cheap pre-arranged stuff. It lacked depth, knowledge and integrity. The journalist did not at all engage you on any pertinent issues but instead he gloriously gave you the usual platform you so desire for only your opinions to be heard. In that “sphaza” interview, much as it was interesting that you mentioned topics of change, putting people first, bullying etcetera, perhaps you should have shared with the listeners at what stage of your life you first appreciated their importance. Was it only after you left office?
I ask because for the 20 years that you were the Vice President and President respectively, there were zero signs that you valued us as people of this country. By “us” I mean Batswana ba ba ntsho! During your tenure as president, Botswana experienced degeneration never before seen in high unemployment rate, high crime rates (which in my layman’s opinion is directly linked to unemployment), unprecedented corruption levels, zero public infrastructure development, decay in the health system (balwetsi ba robala fo fatshe batsheko Marina, Nyangbgwe le dikokelo tsotlhe, often without medication), the highest exam failure rate at both primary and secondary school levels, collapse of parastatals (e.g. Air Botswana, BMC, Botswana Railways, WUC, BPC), closures of BCL Mine and Francistown BMC abattoir that rendered thousands jobless overnight and their families further impoverished.
To be frank, any reasonably informed Motswana fails to put a finger on any parastatal in this country that functions well as per its mandate. Mr Ex-President, tota fela ga o iteba, o ka ra’a Batswana o re o ba tlogeletse boswa jwa eng from your 10 year rule? Ipelegeng? A fake economic stimulus programme that yields zero positive results to justify its high expenditure? The terror of DISS? And now your antics for sympathy?
Lastly, as citizens allow us the chance to chart our own future. Many of us are educated and are clever enough to know what is good for us and are tired of a bitter ex-president picking fights with the incumbent president. Go lekane jaanong Mr Ex-President. I strongly suggest you take the back seat and behave like any other ordinary citizen.
Under normal circumstances, people – and this includes presidents – retire and allow those who have ascended to their positions to carry on the work. I believe many citizens like me wonder why in your case moving on as an ordinary citizen seems a hard thing to do. We can only hope that your passion to oust the sitting president is not driven by any evil to cover up any bad things that may have happened during your tenure as president. But then, this is Africa. Nothing is impossible.
I wish you well.