Boko preaches love, peace

Botswana National Front (BNF) President, Duma Boko has warned members of the opposition to desist from hurling insults at those they differ with politically. Officially opening the Botswana National Front Women’s League (BNFWL) congress in Kanye over the weekend, the firebrand leader chose to preach love and peace between members of the opposition.

Since the formation of Alliance for Progressives (AP) last month, social media has been the battleground of bitterness and insults between members of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), especially the Botswana Congress Party, and AP. But the UDC leader said there is no need to hate other comrades in the opposition because they need each other.

“We have problems in our politics because we are spreading the hatred towards each other. We have a tendency of hating those who we are opposing and use harsh and humiliating words towards them. But women in our society are important to give us care and guidance to love one another,” said Boko.He also expressed concern that some people in politics have a tendency of humiliating people by describing their physical attributes.

“The love that women have in us has been sidelined and this is not what we need in our politics. People are spreading hatred in our politics. Some even describe people by their looks. They say one’s head is like this (making signs) for example,” said Boko. A few months ago there was a memo circulating in social media ridiculing President of Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), Sydney Pilane’s head after the controversial bloody congress of the party in Bobonong. “Some people think being a good politician is being rough to your opponent. But good politicians amongst us are women because they spread love towards each other,” he said.