Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL) President, Resego Kgosidintsi, last week released a loaded statement calling for opposition parties’ leadership to put their egos aside and focus on regime change.
Known as ‘Petrol Bomb’ in political circles, Kgosidintsi’s explosive statement was received with mixed reactions by the public.
The Voice staffer, DANIEL CHIDA, engages people of different portfolios to get a cross-section of views on the matter.
Kgosidintsi
“In 2014 opposition parties were not united going towards general election, I would like to believe that costed us a huge deal in terms of representation in parliament or state power. In 2019, the same happened, we took to the polls a fragmented opposition with underlying issues that costed us state power. In 2024, I will be voting for the 3rd time and that’s 15 full years of voting with no change. This is a kind reminder to the opposition leadership collectively, your differences and egos will not hire me, they will not put food on my table, they won’t give me land, they wont give me a car or social security. You comrades must show some seriousness. The problem with allowing people living comfortable lives to champion regime change is that as much as they want it they aren’t as desperate as me and you who have no jobs and no land. You think President Boko and Vice President Saleshando ever go to sleep without food? You think they ever wonder where they will get money for electricity from? The answer is no. We need our leaders to show a bit of seriousness and unite all opposition parties under 1 roof, thats our only chance to regime change”.
Batlang Seabo – Political Analyst
The youth’s position on the lack of commitment by opposition leaders to unite has merit because the youth face serious socio-economic challenges including unemployment and poverty.
Previous elections results for 2014 and 2019 show that the only realistic chance of regime change is when opposition parties unite and compete with the BDP, lest the governing party continues to benefit from vote splits and dominate government.
Youth, especially politically active youth, must hold their party leadership accountable for what they decry as a lack of commitment towards opposition unity.
Beyond issuing statements, the youth must use their party platforms and demand their leaders to walk the talk.
If party platforms fail to yield results, then extra party engagement is an option for youth to pursue.
This includes, but not limited to, a series of public activities (peaceful marches) to compel leaders to concretise opposition unity.
Mokaloba Mokaloba – Political Analyst
It is a loaded statement and it shows the continous dwindling trust on the current opposition leaders to unite opposition.
Again, it is a dire cry for help by the marginalised, especially the youth.
Tumelo Legase – BNFYL Publicity Secretary
The Youth league will meet in due course to discuss the matter as she has tabled the same before the rest of the committee for consideration.
After the meeting next week, that is when the YL will have the position but we can state that what she posted is her personal position, not that of the party.
Zibani Maundeni – Political Anayst
It’s good that young people are concerned about divisions within the opposition and how that fails our democracy and our economy.
Where the current regime is slow in providing jobs and other opportunities, young people will always pin their hopes on the opposition, hoping a change of government would bring better things.
Whether such hopes are misplaced cannot be confirmed or not unless a change of government happens.
From the look of things, BCP and BNF cannot work together without a third party that will work to reduce rivalry between them.
The BPP is failing to play that role of reducing the enemy between the two largest opposition parties.
Justin Hunyepa – BNF Publicity Secretary
Kgosidintsi is a frustrated youth leader who is crying for help.
It’s a war cry, she wants to see youth rise and cause a revolution. She wants to see a change of government and the youth have the ace to do that.
The high youth unemployment is not only scary, but frustrating. We hope the youth will get organised and remove the corrupt BDP-led government in 2024.
This is the only way to stop their early extinction and endless frustration by the BDP-led government.
The country is very rich and the youth can’t understand why they are made to suffer so much.
Under a normal and caring government, Botswana youth should be receiving unemployment allowance because the country is rich enough to afford that.
But money is lost through corruption and mismanagement.
Zambia and Lesotho recently changed governments through the youth vote.
We call upon all Batswana youth to vote the Umbrella for Democratic Change which has sound policies that support the youth’s interests.
Akim Keokgale – BCPYL Publicity Secretary
The BCPYL notes with amusement the social media grand standing and publicity seeking antics by the President of the BNFYL.
For the record, she has been central in sabotaging all efforts which were made towards the end of 2020 to gather opposition party youth leagues with the aim to chart a way forward regarding diffusing tensions within UDC, uniting opposition parties and galvanising non-aligned youth to vote BDP out of power.
Representatives from AP, BMD, BPP, BCP, BPF and RAP attended four of the initial meetings while the BNFYL shunned them all together.
This was before the unfortunate events that saw the UBCD being kicked out of Moono-wa-Baithuti by the MASS-BNF, as well as the Bophirima by-elections debacle.
So, calls for Youth League meetings made by the BNFYL president are not only belated, but mischievous and smack of hypocrisy.
We wish to emphasise that we believe regime change from the delinquent and moribund Botswana Democratic Party to a new government with Batswana’s interests at heart must come in 2024.
It is unfortunate that players with ulterior motives have always frustrated efforts to bring unity anchored on integrity, respect, democracy, and good governance that would easily achieve this goal.
To this end, we are optimistic on the progress made by the AP-BCP, and urge other opposition parties and civic organisations to come on board to support these efforts of genuine cooperation to bring forth a new, better Botswana in 2024.
The cooperation talks forum from which the UDC/BNF bolted, leaving AP and BCP on the table, remain open and we urge the UDC and any political party which seeks genuine regime change to hurry and jump on board before the caravan hits top speed.
Dr Mpho Pheko – BCP spokesperson
The young lady is lost, disingenuous, grandstanding or a combination of all. She should advise herself to cease casting aspersions on the person of President Saleshando. The BCP will not watch its president become collateral damage in the UDC mess.
You will recall that BCP’s attempt to better relations and improve governance systems at the UDC.
UDC has been ignored by those who are abusing and unfairly benefitting from the transitional clause.
You will also recall that the BCP only joined the UDC post 2014 elections, adopting a series of governance related nightmares.
The challenges at UDC backdate the BCP affiliation to the UDC.
Unfortunately, the BCP’s attempt to suggest that UDC should respect its own constitution, act like a coalition ready to take over state power, regard the rule-of-law-based governance systems and entrench the culture of morero, consultations, consensus building and participatory leadership was met with contempt and ultimately led to the suspension of the BCP, its President and Secretary General from the UDC.
Considering this, where should the young lady perceive ego problems?
The reality is that there are serious challenges in the UDC and there have been constant (ever present) factors in the UDC-related power problems.
These factors are Boko and Mohwasa. You may also recall that other parties have unceremoniously joined and left the UDC, for example BMD and AP.
The BCP has written extensively, informing the nation that the UDC challenges are birthed by the leader’s dictatorial tendencies and his failure to regard the rule-of-law-based governance systems as well as his decision to abuse of the UDC transitional clause.
Saleshando has worked peacefully with his deputies, even at the BCP.
Can the same be said about the BNF and UDC president?
What happened to Gaolathe and Saleshando at UDC, Mabiletsa and Dibeela at BNF?
Accordingly, if the young lady wishes to perceive ego problems, her fingers should point at her two party leaders (from BNF) – who have been constant factors in the UDC leadership and mess.
The BCP and AP are currently in negotiations and we are working around the clock to ensure that by end of 2022, we will give Batswana a political vehicle, option that is credible, democratic, and disciplined to facilitate a credible and sustainable change of government.