Sello Motseta
7th April 2020
The leader of the Opposition in Parliament and President of Botswana Congress Party(BCP) Dumelang Saleshando has disputed the contention by the President Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi he was invited to All Party Conference to get briefing on Corona Virus alongside other opposition leaders.
He maintained that he was invited and subsequently advised telephonically he was no longer invited.
“I was invited than the invitation was withdrawn telephonically by OP(Office of the President). Boko also says that he was not invited. It is strange when they want to search him and embarrass they find him and when they want to invite him they cannot find him,” said Dumelang Saleshando leader of the Opposition in Parliament, at a press briefing at Fairgrounds Holdings today.
He said, “I am leader of opposition in parliament. He might not like me as Dumelang Saleshando but he needs to learn to deal with me.”
Saleshando says that President should not choose who he wants to speak to and who he does not want to speak to on national issues. He also maintained that the he was uncomfortable with President Masisi being given powers of State of Public Emergency because he would effectively be ruling alone.
In both the cases of neighbouring South Africa and Mauritius their leaders had opted go for a lock down to avoid trampling on individual civil liberties. Namibia opted for a state of emergency because no other law restricted the freedom of movement.
“We do not agree that one should not panic. The declaration of a state of a public emergency allows for a derogation of rights where President will be able to rule by himself. He will be able to make any law,” said Saleshando. Saleshando warned power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
He also insisted that it was a mistake for Masisi to go to Namibia and to seek face to face meetings when Government and public health experts were promoting extreme social distancing. He could have talked to regional leaders telephonically like he intends do with the Chinese Premier.
Despite the criticism he has faced President Mokgweetsi Masisi has remained steadfast in his contention that Botswana is a vibrant democracy that very firmly believes in the rule of law and the separation of powers. “That is why we had to go to arms of Government to seek a proper mandate,” said Masisi.
Masisi maintained the agility and speed of transmission together with the havoc it wrecked in developed countries like Europe and America caused him to intervene decisively. He also insisted that technocrats in Government had advised that given the threat it posed to individual well being and instruments available to deal with issue, the declaration of a state of public emergency was only route open.
“I have personally given assurances of my complete commitment to sticking to letter of the constitution and to lift the state of emergency invest experts say we no longer need these powers to deal with corona. State of emergency may not need to last 6 months,” said Masisi.
Masisi also expressed his disgust at private companies which had made a lot of money locally that even now refused to support Government efforts to combat corona virus and continued to abuse their workers. He stressed that he will in the July sitting of Parliament introduce a citizenship economic empowerment law to ensure that citizens are given bigger stake in economy.
“We will not be bullied in our own country,” vowed Masisi. He said, “This is a very difficult time. This is not a time to be selfish.”
