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Opposition Leader Says, President Khama Has Weakened Botswanaâs Democracy

   Peter Clottey 28 April 2010

   A   leading  member  of  a  breakaway  faction  of  Botswanaâs  ruling
   Democratic  Party (BDP) says President Ian Khamaâs repeated refusal to
   address  their  concerns  âclued-upâ  their  decision  to  form  a new
   opposition party to challenge what he described as the status quo.

   Botswana President Ian Khama

   Sydney  Pilane,  spokesman  of  the newly formed Botswana Movement for
   Democracy  said  the  countryâs  democracy  is deteriorating and under
   serious  threat  after  describing President Khamaâs rule as festooned
   with dictatorial tendencies.

   âWe  have  for  the  last  few  years watched our democracy slowly but
   troublingly  declining.  Our  people increasingly live in fear they do
   not as before, feel secure in their own country. They feel besieged by
   the  government  and  by  the intelligence services. Our government is
   increasingly becoming a dictatorship,â he said.

   Leaders of the new party, include six incumbent members of parliament,
   broke  away from the ruling party after President Khama suspended them
   for indiscipline. The breakaway faction was accused of siding with the
   opposition   to   prevent   Mr.  Khama  from  nominating  for  special
   legislators into parliament.

   But   Pilane   said  failure  to  salvage  Botswanaâs  âdeterioratingâ
   democracy  could  lead  to  the  same problems that led to neighboring
   Zimbabweâs political crisis.

   âThere  are some people who think there isnât too much cause for alarm
   yet  (but)  we say we do not want to reach the stage that Zimbabwe has
   done,  because  if you do, it is so much more difficult to reverse it.
   We want to stop it while we can,â Pilane said.

   The  ruling  BDP has governed the southern Africa nation, which is the
   world's  biggest producer of diamonds, since it gained independence in
   1966 from colonial power Britain.

   Political  observers  say  the  breakaway  group  could  weaken  BDPâs
   dominance in Botswanaâs next general elections in 2014.

   Pilane  said  President  Khama  refused  several attempts by mediators
   including former President Quett Masire to resolve tensions within the
   BDP.

   âThe  mediation  did not take place all together because the president
   and  his committee declined President Masireâs offer and so we decided
   that  we would now proceed to the formation of a new party without any
   further  delays.  He (Masire) is not the only one who tried to mediate
   others  have done so before⦠We have always been prepared to talk but
   the other side had never been prepared to talk,â Pilane said.

   President  Khama  is  a former military chief of general staff and the
   son  of  Botswana's  founding father, Seretse Khama. Opposition groups
   including former members of the ruling party have often questioned his
   leadership   style  describing  it  as  autocratic  -  -  charges  his
   supporters deny.

   Despite  the  criticisms,  President  Khama  led  the  ruling BDP to a
   landslide victory in last yearâs October general elections. The ruling
   party  won  45  seats  in  Botswanaâs 61-member parliament leaving the
   opposition parties with only 12 seats.

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