- BDP always supported decisions even if they were wrong
- says they should deal with the implications of the monster they created
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
FRANCISTOWN: Botswana Congress Party (BCP) President Dumelang Saleshando says that it is quite surprising for democrats to turn against Former President Ian Khama’s misrule while they supported the questionable decisions he took during his presidential tenure.
Addressing a rally, a fortnight ago in Selibe-Phikwe where he welcomed new members to the BCP, Saleshando who is also Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Vice President pointed out that if at all the BDP was not in support of Khama’s decisions most of them that were questionable should have not passed. “Passing all these questionable decisions Khama brought was an indication that as the leader of his party, he was only used by the general membership to win votes for them. And now that his leadership term has come to end some democrats are now turning against him and are delighted that the new administration is mending the country. What they are doing is hypocrisy because they cannot be ululating that the new administration is reversing some of Khama’s decisions while they are the one who supported them. BDP has used Khama to wrong Batswana because they only wanted him to win votes for their party. Even if Khama wronged Batswana the BDP was always in support. What is so surprising is that by then Vice President who is the current President Mokgweetsi Masisi was also always in support of Khama’s decisions and policies, but he never questioned them. So, this publicised notion of Masisi mending the country should be questioned and dismissed,” Saleshando argued when addressing the rally.
Saleshando went on to wonder out loud, why some democrats accuse Khama of ruining the country, politically and economically during his tenure while they were the ones who encouraged him and went on to endorse Khama’s most questionable decisions. “Instead of accusing Khama of ruining the country’s fortunes the ruling BDP has to keep quiet and learn to live with the monster they created. The BDP has to blame itself for the current political stand-off that has ignited between Khama and Masisi,” Saleshando added.
Among the questionable decisions that caused an uproar within the nation the closure of the BCL mine, introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) which has since been suspended after the BCP challenged its legality in Court and rampant abuse of the DIS are attributable to the BDP administration. Another contentious decision that was brought during Khama’s tenure was the intended purchase of Fighter Jets that Masisi has revealed is potentially, still in the pipeline.