Moyo hits out at Gov’t

Can Guma Moyo make adifference in the troubledBotswana DemocraticParty (BDP) if elected chairman?The hopeful Moyo answers thisserious question in the affi rmative.Just a week before the BDPCongress scheduled for Maun,Moyo, also Member of Parliamentfor Tati East, blamed theruling BDP for poor services deliverywhich he said lead to pooreconomic performance.Speaking to The Gazette in anexclusive interview, Moyo saidthe BDP has done a lot, althoughnot enough, since assuming powerat independence. “The ills that weare facing right now have nothingto do with the initiatives of thegovernment but poor delivery ofprograms. We are living in changingtimes and we have to adjust.

 

We have to change the way we dothings. We have to diversify theeconomy very quick. The agendaof the party has to be the economy,we need to address issues ofunemployment and education,” hesaid.Lamenting on the power outagesin the country, Moyo saidhe does not understand why thecountry has a power crisis. “Havewe ever imagined the impact ofthis on the economy? Do not tellme about this Chinese story. I amsick and tired of that. It is all aboutsupervision. The power station isthe biggest project ever. You musthave a plan for these kinds ofthings, you have to monitor. Donot tell me about contractors, I amnot interested; I am not going tobuy that story. Who pays them?Who does the evaluations? I can’timagine the entire managementand the board of the BPC stillsitting in those positions withouttaking responsibility and say sorrywe have let this nation down weresign,” Moyo fumed.

 

He says his priority is to winthe elections so as to get him thepower to sort out certain internalthings within the party. “We haveto go there and win the electionsbig time and that I can assure youof. I did not wake up one morningand said I wanted to contest for thechairmanship. I was approachedby fellow democrats, but I preferredvice president PonatshegoKedikilwe to be the chairperson.I resisted for quite some time butafter further consultations andpersuasion I accepted,” he said.Justifying his campaign teamfor the congress, Moyo explainedthat “you need a combination ofthe middle age, and the young thatcan drive the party forward. Butrepresentation at different levelsis considered important as well.”Asked about his strategy in winningthe seat, Moyo said the strategyis measured by the results.“One can only say the strategy isgood when they have got the results;anything else is just a talk,”he pointed out.

 

Moyo denied allegations thathis lobby list is driven by big business.“Fellow democrats shouldapproach the Congress with humility.I do neither scheme norblackmail. The issue of my lobbylist driven by business is false andirrelevant. Anyone insinuatingthat business drives our lobby list,its tough luck for them, they arefacing war,” he said further.Pundits argue that whetherMoyo or Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, another hopeful for theposition, can make any differencein the troubled BDP governmentwill depend profoundly on howmuch political power, supportand freedom President Ian Khamaprovides.

 

In the BDP, the reality isthat Khama is all-powerful, withthe central committee, includingthe party chairperson, serving athis behest, notwithstanding therhetoric of consultation.It is also doubted by observersthat any of the two candidates willbring substantial changes to boththe party and government. The expectedchanges, if any, from anywinner will be incremental. BothMoyo and Moitoi are Khama’sloyalists and observers argue thatthe outcome of the chairman contestis inconsequential to Khama.