Democracy is not dead- BMD

Daniel Chida
WE DISAGREE: Modubule

Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) has dismissed views held by fellow opposition parties, that recently came together under a coalition known as the Opposition Cooperation Forum, that the country’s democracy is dead.

Opposition Cooperation Forum, is a new party coalition that comprises of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Alliance for Progressives (AP) that hold a common belief that the last elections were rigged and have pivoted their principles on the resuscitation of Botswana’s democracy, which they believe is dead.

When addressing a press conference today (Tuesday), BMD Chairperson- Nehemiah Modubule, said that they were convinced that democracy is not defined by elections alone and that rigging of elections cannot on its own be said to have killed the democracy as a country. “We refuse to admit that democracy is dead and has to be buried. We call upon all progressive and democratic-minded people to refuse to accept that democracy is dead and that we should celebrate its death by wearing black on Fridays,” he said.

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Modubule says they have to fight hard for democratic values and not just elections. “Holding of elections every five years is not necessarily a sign of democracy,” he quipped.

Modubule’s backlash follows a call by the Chairperson of Opposition Cooperation Forum, Dr Margret Nasha to have all those who believe in democracy to wear black every Friday. “A day of mourning, it was decided that our members and all those who believe in democracy should wear black every Friday until the people’s court is held on the 21st of this month. The wearing of black on Fridays is meant to symbolise the death of our democracy, following the rigging that took place during last year’s general elections,” explained Nasha on Sunday.

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