I don't have anything against Masisi - Boko

The leader of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Duma Boko is confident that the united opposition will take over power in 2019.

In fact, he is already warning “corrupt” government officials that his government will prosecute them. He told a weekend rally in Rasesa to launch the party’s council candidate for the coming by-election, Tshenolo Buisanyang, that once they take power in 2019, the UDC government will give those who have been stealing from government coffers a three-month waiver to come forward with all the evidence before they prosecute them.

“We will give you three months, Masisi, Guma, Tshekedi Khama and everybody else who is involved in corruption, to bring all evidence. If it elapses we will prosecute you all.

I do not want to scare anybody because those assets belong to Batswana,” said Boko to the cheering crowd.Buoyed by the February 3 watershed moment when the three parties that form UDC finally announced the conclusion of the protracted talks with Botswana Congress Party to form a united front to oust the Botswana Democratic Party - Boko threw jabs at Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi, who is expected to succeed President Lt. General Dr Ian Khama next year April 1:

“I don’t have any hatred towards Masisi. I wish him good luck in the future. I want him to be fit and alive in 2019 so that he can witness how Batswana can be happy in their country. I am saying this because this man has been sick for a long time,” said Boko, adding that Masisi was an embodiment of the inequalities between the rich and poor in this country that are perpetuated by the BDP government.

For example, he said whenever Masisi or any of the BDP top brass falls sick, they are flown in Botswana Defense Force aircraft to get the best medical care in South Africa at one of the best hospitals – Milpark - which is staffed by well-trained doctors and has the best facilities.

Had it not been for this hospital, said Boko, Masisi and other members of BDP’s top brass, “would have long died.” Yet on the flip side, if an ordinary Motswana falls sick, he is sent to a local clinic that has no doctors, medicines or amenities. Boko vowed that these disparities would end in 2019 when the UDC takes over government.

But he was not yet done with Masisi.
“I am not sure whether doctors have cured him because I have doubts about the way he is talking. Gongwe bolwetse jwa gagwe bo a pala. Ke mo eletsa botsogo jo bontle,” he said. Turning once more to how they will deal with corruption, he insisted they will prosecute and imprison anyone found to have ransacked state coffers for personal enrichment.

Boko warned that this was not an empty threat, but reminded them that he is well qualified to prosecute and send convicts to the penitentiary or alternatively to free them if he wills it.: “Ba seke ba ntsaya motlhofo ga go tla mo mererong ya tsa molao. Ke tsone dilo tse ke di ithutetseng – go tsenya motho mo kgolegelong, ke mo tsenya ke buduletse. Lefa ke batla go montsha nka montsha.”

On other matters, Boko told the rally that allocation of constituencies between UDC and BCP for the 2019 general elections was finalised. BCP has been allocated 17 seats while the BNF got 22, BMD 14 and BPP four (4). Boko said the parties have agreed to deploy the candidates with the best possible talent in constituencies.

Meanwhile speaking at the Saturday Rasesa rally, Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president, Dumelang Saleshando said the opposition has decided to build an ark for 2019. “Just as Noah in the bible was instructed to do it, we have realised that problems in this country need to be solved by us as one,” he said, adding that even though people were laughing at them after they postponed the press conference to announce the completion of the talks, they knew that time would come.

Collectively, the opposition polled 53.5 percent of the popular vote in the 2014 general election while the ruling BDP attained 46, 45 percent. The opposition believes were it not for the ‘fraudulent’ first-past-the-post electoral system, they would have taken over power from the BDP at the time.