Mmegi
*ANC Fires Salvo at Western Lackeys* *Ephraim Keoreng, Mmegi, Botswana, 24 October 2011 *MOCHUDI: African National Congress (ANC) deputy secretary general, Thandi Modise, has castigated African leaders for pandering to the whims of Western powers, even at the risk of the continent's security.
Speaking at a celebration to mark the Botswana National Front's (BNF) 45th anniversary in Mochudi on Saturday, Modise said it was disappointing to learn that some countries were planning to host United States of America (US) military bases. She was clearly referring to Botswana, which has been accused of showing keen interest in hosting the US-Africa Command, commonly called AFRICOM.
Modise said they are concerned that "some of the leaders want to host people who want to hurt us. They think as long as they can get funding from these Western people they are fine. But I can tell you that we are not happy at all," she said.
This is not the first time that a top ANC official has castigated Botswana for its ambitions to host AFRICOM.ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and his executive committee castigated the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) led government for this, saying the Ian Khama administration risked compromising the continent's security by hosting the US army in Africa.
Modise, who is also the North West premier, called for regional integration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and said the process should have started when the British imperialists left the region."A re batla magosi a rona a bo Kgafela, bo Bathoen le bo Linchwe ba tsoge mo baswing gore re kitlane? (Do you want our chiefs Kgafela, Bathoen and Lichwe to wake up and unite us.) Kgafela ran away from the Boers who were harassing him in South Africa and came to settle here," she said.
She said she was worried that in the region, we still have stratified communities, where some feel inferior to other tribes. She said at one point during the apartheid era Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland shared a university, which forged close relationships, something that could have played a pace-setter role towards regional integration. She said, however, it fizzled out as the countries "let go of the university that unified" them.
"Let's unite as people of this region," she admonished. Modise said there are a lot of hurtful things that they see happening in the region, especially the Swaziland case where democracy is not given a chance, such that one might be forced to lose their temper and use undiplomatic language, but "we tend to be diplomatic because the ANC was brought up by pastors and chiefs.
"But it's enough. Our hearts go out to the Swazi people. As the ANC we cannot dictate and say 'we want this' but we speak for the quality of the life of Swazi people because it affects that of the people of the whole region," she said.
Meanwhile, the ANC official said that her party has much in common with the BNF especially the colours of black, green and gold. She said they are proud of the colours and added that some of Botswana heroes played a significant role in the life of the former South African liberation movement, which is now running the country.
"As we will be celebrating our 100 years in existence as the ANC, we are happy to see our kid, the BNF, which is also a comrade, reach 45 years. This is a great feat and not all political parties reach this far. It shows there is something good you are doing that people like. They trust you," she said.
Modise also advised the BNF to care for the elderly, the sick and disabled and also urged the party to hold fast to gender equality issues. She said, "the BNF cannot leave gender equality behind. We cannot be together in these colours when you do not look after the poor and helpless and downtrodden. We of these colours serve with humility," she said.
On the other hand, BNF president Duma Boko called on the ANC to be careful in its dealing with the BDP, saying it is a government that violates human rights.
"Ere lo nwa tee le bone ka gore lothe lo a busa lo ba ele thoko ka gore ke ditsenwa (When you drink tea with them as your fellow parties in power, be careful, because they are crazy," he said.
In what could have been a jibe at the ANC's double-dealing with capitalism by frolicking with the ruling BDP, Boko said the South African Communist Party (SACP) understands that one should not trust capitalists.
"The SACP understands this message quite well," he said.Boko also said that as the BNF they are proud of what the party founders, Dr Kenneth Koma and others descended in Mochudi 45 years ago and formed the mass organisation. He said the founders also taught them what it means to be a BNF member and what the party stands for.
*From: http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=939&dir=2011/October/Monday24 <http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?sid=1&aid=939&dir=2011/October/Monday24>*
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