Boko dreams of a better Botswana

President of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Duma Boko laid out his vision for a better Botswana under the leadership of the UDC.

Speaking at the launch of their Gaborone North parliamentary candidate, Shawn Ntlhaile, Boko urged Batswana to use the polls to lead them to a better life. He told the rally attendants that the current Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is a cruel regime that has neglected the people of Botswana. Boko said that the healthcare of Batswana, economic status and other pivotal issues of one’s life are under immense pressure from the way things are done by our national leaders.

He said that the constitution of Botswana at Section 3 speaks of the right to life, and the right to equal protection of the law. A right is something that is inherently yours and one does not need to beg anyone to get it, Boko, a trained lawyer explained. He said that no one leader gives a person their rights as these are above a person’s political position.

“The right to life includes the right to livelihood,” Boko said, adding that the right to life includes things that sustain that right to life. Things such as adequate food sustain this right and one can only get adequate food from a decent job.

Further, Boko said that if one does not understand who they are they will reject things that are rightfully theirs, such as a minimum wage of P4000. He noted that some unequivocally reject the UDC’s proposition of a decent life as they look down on themselves.

“That is why ministers can say in Parliament that P1000 is enough for Batswana,” Boko said, adding that even the owner of Choppies publicly stated that he is not doing anything wrong and just following the laws of the country with how he is paying his workers.

The UDC leader argues that the core issue is not the companies that are underpaying people but the lawmakers who do not push the minimum wage bill up to where it can sustain one’s life. The solution to the current status in Botswana lies in people holding the relevant people accountable. However, Boko acknowledges that when people try to hold them accountable as they did when they wanted to increase the retirement benefits of former presidents the government viciously attacked them.

Boko said that the only way to deal with such people is to vote them out of power in the upcoming elections. He said that he is unlike other leaders who are abusing the people of Botswana and he would never abuse the people of Botswana by using security forces to fight them. He said that if Batswana vote in the UDC they will change the way things are done and ensure that those that engage in business with the government are paid fast so that their businesses are not crippled.

“A national schools feeding programme will be set up to ensure that all school going children have two nutritious meals at school level. The state would be engaged in one’s welfare from birth in a much-effective way to ensure that the child is not neglected.'

Former Member of Parliament for Selebi Phikwe West, Dithapelo Keorapetse criticised the current regime for opposing raising the minimum wage bill to P4000. He explained that a research was conducted by David Khan that proves otherwise. Keorapetse explained that the ruling party is telling plain lies when they state that raising the minimum wage would plummet the economy of Botswana.

He said that it is alarming that the gap between the lowest paid and highest paid government employee is often multipliable by 32. He said that the UDC do not agree with the current status quo which has made Botswana a land which is filled with unequal pay.

Moreover, Keorapetse said that the UDC is the only party that can save Botswana and this is evident in the multitudes of people that have flocked to the UDC from the ruling BDP.

Shawn Ntlhaile graciously accepted the call to run for a parliamentary seat under the banner of the UDC. He explained that those that once rejected the UDC’s call for change are lamenting as they regret their actions.

Ntlhaile said that when the UDC takes over power they will fight against corruption and fight for the rights of Batswana all over.