Saleshando tells BCP lawyers to shun Khama
President of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Dumelang Saleshando has warned lawyers who are members of his party against being involved in any of former President Ian Khama’s legal battle.
Khama is currently suing government for refusing to employ his long ally former Director of Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DIS) Isaac Kgosi as his private secretary. Masisi fired Kgosi from his plum post a few days after he took over as head of state.
Khama submitted the names of Kgosi after his then private secretary Brigadier George Tlhalerwa retired from the public service.
Saleshando told the lawyers in a position paper that, if approached by Khama, any attorney who also serves in the BCP structures or has been confirmed as candidate for 2019 general election, should bear in mind that there is need to balance the professional duties with the interest of the organisation they freely and voluntarily chose to associate with. “Retired President Khama presided over a corrupt government that had minimal regard for civil liberties.
Representing a person who embodies all that which we oppose will rightfully earn us the label of hypocrites. Taking instructions from those who championed looting of public resources diminishes our moral authority to make any promise for a better Botswana.
“I therefore expect comrades who may be approached by retired president Khama, or any other prominent member of Botswana Democratic leadership, past or present to be guided by their conscience and stand firm in promotion of the values we collectively promote,” said the BCP leader.
Saleshando explained that this is not to suggest that representing BDP members is prohibited, but representing those who are the face of the ills the BCP have sought to defeat should not be entertained.
The priority of the BCP, according to Saleshando, is to ensure that all those who are alleged to have aided the spiraling corruption that has come to define the country should have their day in court.
“It should worry Batswana that President Masisi says he knows nothing about the Isaac Kgosi docket. The Directorate of Public Prosecutions as well as Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime are also allegedly claiming ignorance on the whereabouts of the docket. It must be noted that in a majority of high profile corruption cases, there has been no conviction at the courts. The BCP will seek the input of its lawyers on the Kgosi issue and work on ensuring that the ‘missing docket’ is located and acted upon accordingly,” he stated.
According to Saleshando chickens have now come home to roost for the BDP government. He said that in Khama the BDP has built a monster that knows no rules and respects no institution. Saleshando pointed out that President Masisi deferred key leadership tasks, such as Vision 2036 to the retired president, giving him the impression that they are co-presidents.
The BDP must be allowed the opportunity to reap what it has sown, he said. Saleshando posited that the mantra that Masisi ‘o baakanya lehatshe’ when he was in full support of all the Khama policies should not lead to innocent citizens exonerating him from the mess that the country finds itself.
