Nasha, Mogae, Masire, the growing list of disgruntled BDP elders

Former President Festus Mogae received a cold shoulder on many occasions when he tried to engage President Ian Khama on important issues of national or party interest, it has emerged.

The disdain for dialogue on the part of Khama is the catalyst to the recent outburst by Mogae venting his frustrations against the current regime. But political analysts say President Ian Khama must be worried about the growing number of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) elders showing misgivings about his rule. Mogae is the latest member of the old guard of the ruling party criticising the government. Taking a cue from the likes of Dr. Margaret Nasha, Mogae recently broke his silence on “regressing” Botswana, saying the Khama’s administration disrespects the rule of law.

The Office of the President this week brushed off Mogae’s comments saying he is entitled to his opinion. But Mogae is not the first BDP elder and statesman to vent his anger at Khama’s administration, a growing trend which analysts say Khama must address. Nasha was honest and brutal in her assessment of Khama, in her autobiography titled “Madam Speaker Sir! Breaking the Glass Ceiling: One Woman’s Struggles,” Nasha portrays Khama as an authoritarian dictator who has killed the BDP’s culture of debate. 

She writes: “If you allow him to take decisions on your behalf, he will not hesitate to do so. That is the President Ian Khama that Democrats have created, and then cry foul about his actions. They have themselves to blame.” Political analyst at the University of Botswana Leonard Sesa says criticism from party elders and former presidents should be a wakeup call for Khama. Mogae, who has been getting a tough time from Khama even during the days when the latter was vice president, is not the only former statesman to air his views about Khama’s rule. Former President Sir Ketumile Masire recently endorsed opposition parties when he said Botswana was founded on the principle of a multi party democratic system whereby a ruling party could be in opposition in future and the opposition was a government in waiting.

Speaking to a loud applause from mourners who attended the funeral of Botswana Movement for Democracy leader Gomolemo Motswaledi, Masire said he was happy to observe that there were capable people in both the ruling party and the opposition, such that the country will still move forward should Batswana lose confidence in the current government. Mogae and Masire statements had the BDP talking, but Professor Emmanuel Botlhale also from UB notes that Motswaledi’s death is not a catalyst to these outbursts. “I think it is a process which was there…it naturally happened,” he said in an interview. It is an open secret that Masire and Mogae were spurned at some point when they tried to mediate on national or party issues. Both men tried in vain to intervene when Motswaledi was suspended from the BDP. During the 2011 civil servants strike they also tried to help but were never accorded audience. Khama did not only refuse to meet with the two but also refused to meet the clergy, opposition parties, the BDP backbench and leaders from the public service trade unions. Sources say during events that led to the formation of the BMD-a BDP breakaway party-Mogae tried to meet the president but to no avail. “He wanted to meet Khama not once but on three occasions, but the meeting never materialised,” said a source close to events at the time. Sesa argues that when the two former presidents retired there was not clear foundation to stipulate their roles at national and party level. “He must reconcile with former presidents because they are important to him.

Party elders are very important personnel in any political party”, said Sesa, adding that the problem with Khama is that he is being misled by his circle of advisors. Botlhale concurs but says there is a need to strike a balance. “You don’t want former presidents ruling from the grave, but on the other hand they are party members and free to say whatever they want to say.” However, he says Khama must take note of what they are saying because, “they are not saying this out of spite. They are genuine about their concerns.” 

In a paper published in Think Africa Press in 2011, UB academic Zibani Muandeni argues that Khama’s disdain for dialogue fuelled the public sector protests. “His refusal to meet former presidents, priests, BDP back benchers, opposition leaders and unions, and his refusal to offer a reasonable salary package or to reinstate dismissed workers and to re-consider the no-work-no-pay rule, has prolonged the strike and created enormous human suffering,” reads part of the paper. According to Maundeni, instead of engaging in dialogue Khama visited distant rural areas where he told them that the government had no money and was not going to make any salary adjustments to people who are living well. Since the Motswaledi suspension became public, Masire and Mogae have held a series of meetings with Khama to plead with him to rescind his decision.

August 2009

Mogae and Masire tried in vain to plead with Khama to rescind his decision to suspend Motswaledi for five years from the BDP. Motswaledi was also recalled from representing the BDP in Gaborone Central. To use the common cliché, the rest is history. Motswaledi was never given a second chance. He challenged the President in court and failed. Motswaledi together with a group of BDP Young Turks went on to form the BMD.

2010

In 2010 the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) is formed by people who had either resigned from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) or were expelled from it because of “indiscipline,” (in Khama’s eyes.) Many labeled the president a dictator. 

2012

Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum, Churches, NGOs and retired former presidents Sir Ketumile Masire and Festus Mogae were among people who were snubbed by Khama when they tried to mediate on the ongoing strike. 

2014

March 20

Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Margaret Nasha launches a no-holds barred autobiography. She invites High Court Judge Key Dingake (a well-known anti-establishment Judge) to do the honours. 

July 31

Speaking at the African Leadership Forum in Tanzania Mogae insinuates that Khama is a dictator. “In my country for example, we are regressing. The problem is if you criticise your successor, people think you want to rule from the grave,” he said in answer to a question. Mogae went on: “When I was president I would have invited you to a debate, anywhere, anytime in Botswana anywhere else...express my views, accept yours [and] challenging those with which I did not agree.”

August 1

Masire speaks at Gomolemo Motswaledi’s funeral in a speech widely seen as an open endorsement of the opposition. 

August 16

Mogae and Masire launch Daniel Kwelagobe. For those who understand the BDP politics, Mogae and Kwelagobe never embraced each other’s political paths. Mogae belonged to the A-team faction of the party while Kwelagobe was the mastermind of the Barata-Phathi faction. By launching Kwelagobe, Mogae was simply making a statement to Khama. But a BDP source dismissed these allegations, saying Masire and Mogae were just honouring Kwelagobe as a senior member of the party. “Mogae was never a factionalist. He always tried to be above factions,” said the source. But still, all those present at Kwelagobe’s launch over the weekend are known Barata-Phathi sympathisers.