Sello Motseta
6th April 2020
President Mokgweetsi Masisi will on Wednesday ask Parliament for a state of emergency covering a 6 month period on advice of technical experts, to prevent local transmission and an upsurge in COVID-19 virus he told journalists after meeting opposition leaders at Pavilion restaurant at Fairgrounds Monday.
He also defended a recent visit to Nambia with a lean delegation, made after he told Batswana to stay at home provoking a national outcry over his failure to lead an exemplary lifestyle saying he needed to solicit support from his counterparts to secure passage for imports destined for Botswana through Walvis Bay given the congestion at the Durban port in South Africa which was more popular.
“It was a controlled trip,” he told journalists with a very small delegation with only 4 people including 1 security officer, 1 engineer and 2 pilots. He said, “I wanted to meet these leaders face to face,” adding the opportunity was priceless given Botswana’s dependence on imports.
Masisi maintained the upsurge in corona virus in neighbouring South Africa had caused the slow down of certain goods and services with some spending 4 months at harbour. He also insisted that asking for an extension of the state of emergency to deal with the highly contagious corona virus would not lead to the arbitrary suspension of civil liberties and that it was based on science and not politics.
“We are addicts when it comes to the rule of law,” said Masisi. He said that Botswana has only 150 ICU beds countrywide and therefore that prevention is the country’s primary strategy. He revealed a highly trained nurse can look after 2 ICU beds and a doctor 4 ICU beds and that country could not deal with a proliferation in the number of corona virus cases.
“This virus spreads faster than a bush fire,” said Masisi acknowledging that the low number of cases in Botswana currently could be because testing in Botswana has been very limited.
Opposition leaders also unanimously supported the decision to support the seek to extend the state of emergency although they expressed misgivings acknowledged they initially worried that it could be used to curtain civil liberties. The leaders from the main opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change(UDC) were notably absent from the meeting electing to convene for a separate meeting at parliament.
“Am a little uncomfortable with state of emergency because it can be used for undemocratic means,” said Biggie Butale, President of the Botswana Patriotic Front(BPF) supported by former President Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama.
He said, “It should however help us fight pandemic and revive economy.”
A similar sentiment was echoed by Botswana Movement for Democracy(BMD) President Sidney Pilane, who expressed gratitude to Government for its instinct for accountability. “This virus is an existential threat not just for us but the whole world,” said Pilane.
He said, “This is not the time for politics. Not the time for recriminations.”
Pilane said Batswana have an obligation to support Government and rally country behind the decision. Wynter Mmolotsi Deputy President of the newly formed Alliance for Progressives(AP) also sought to rally behind the President saying this was the first time that he had agreed with his former nemesis Pilane, with whom he had previously shared a political home.
“We are facing a very serious situation with a virus which is very brutal. It has brought us all under one roof,” observed Mmolotsi.
Masisi revealed he did not know why UDC leaders boycotted meeting saying that they were invited to attend or appoint alternates to represent them.
