*Golesedi Taylor wants High Court to make him State President
*He has filed lawsuit against Boko, Saleshando and top officials
*Medical tests have since cleared the politician of insanity
Controversial Maun politician, Golesedi Taylor, is back in the news, this time demanding nothing less than the immediate dissolution of Parliament and a rerun of the 2024 General Elections.
However, those curious about the unfolding drama will have to wait a little longer- pop-corn in hand, as the matter was abruptly postponed just hours before it was due to be argued before a Maun High Court.
Taylor, the 42-year-old Actuarial Analyst and political firebrand, is taking on five heavyweight respondents: President Duma Boko; the Attorney General; the Registrar of societies; Leader of Opposition Dumelang Saleshando; and Deputy Police Commissioner Katholo Mosimanegape.
The controversial Taylor, who was tested for sanity following the 2019 general elections owing to his outlandish opinions and bizarre ideas, has since been declared a mentally stable individual.
Back then he had accused Saleshando of stealing his “ideas book” which allegedly contained strategies on opposition party coalition as well as concepts for funeral policy reforms.
While Saleshando had shrugged off the accusations, dismissing them as rantings of “a mad man”, Taylor was tested and found to be sane and fit, and the drama seems to have survived.
In the current court case, the government, through the Attorney General’s Chambers, has indicated its intention to oppose the application, filing a brief notice stating only: “Be pleased to take notice that the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th respondents hereby oppose the applicant’s application in this matter and the relief sought herein.”
Taylor’s lawsuit stems from deep-seated grievances, alleging systemic political persecution, abuse of office, and discrimination, which he argues are “consistent with systematic discriminatory practices of what I submit is Botswana’s covert apartheid system.”
The central element of the case involves an alleged refusal by Botswana Police to act on an old traffic control proposal he handed to them in 2017 for the capital city Gaborone.
In his founding affidavit, Taylor detailed the genesis of his conflict with the 5th respondent, Deputy Commissioner Mosimanegape, which began with an innovative proposal Taylor developed to reduce traffic congestion.
In the early 2017 he approached BPS and the Department of Road Transport and Safety with a proposal for a new innovative traffic congestion reduction system, which he said he developed after being delayed for three hours in a Gaborone traffic jam.
Taylor maintained that Mosimanegape, then the Director of Traffic, formally received the proposal.
“However from 2017 until his promotion to Deputy Police Commissioner in 2023, he failed and refused to provide any feedback regarding its evaluation nor did he issue the necessary permit for the idea to be tested,” Taylor asserted in the court papers.
He strongly rejected the idea of an administrative oversight, stating: “This persistent inaction cannot be regarded as a mere administrative delay, but rather a part of a broader, deliberate pattern of exclusion and suppression of my initiatives and those of other citizens similarly situated.”
He added that following his continued advocacy and political engagement, he was subjected to harassment and intimidation by the police.
“My phone was seized by the police. I was arrested unlawfully and my political activities were consistently obstructed.”
He also mentioned that Mosimanegape at one point sent him a letter of demand to sue him albeit he did pursue the case further, an action he added was seemingly intended to intimidate him.
Taylor’s application seeks a sweeping order from the court, declaring that Deputy Commissioner Mosimanegape abused his office. Discriminated against him, and engaged in conduct reflective of “apartheid policies.”
Taylor says he also wants an interdict to stop further harassment and a finding that international human rights treaties have been violated.
In a highly unusual political shortcut ever crafted, Taylor proposes that: “the 1st respondent the President of the Republic of Botswana Duma Boko and the 4th respondent the Leader of Opposition, Dumelang Saleshando together with their members of Parliament voluntarily agree to dissolve Parliament and immediately step down from power hereby allowing the applicant’s political party, Liberal Authenticans (LA), to assume governance as the ruling party of Botswana with the Applicant’s assuming the office of President of the Republic of Botswana.”
Taylor argued this step would be “recognised as constructive and progressive means to achieve national unity, reconciliation and inclusive participation.”
He also seeks damages for “reputational harm, political suppression, emotional distress and systemic discrimination.”
The case is scheduled to be heard on 11th December 2025 before court President, Godfrey Nthomiwa, who will certainly have an eventful day at the office.
