Photo by Monirul Bhuiyan / AFP
Black First Land First (BLF) congratulates the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), for obtaining the majority vote of over 51% during the elections this week. We further salute Mokgweetsi Masisi on winning the presidency.
Your combined victory in securing 29 of the 57 seats in the National Assembly, against the 13 seats of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC); the three seats of the Botswana Progressive Front (BPF); and the one seat of the Alliance for Progressives (AP) – is an indication of the deep trust that the people of Botswana have in you’ll.
We note that the BDP had reached a point in the vote counting process where it has already obtained the minimum parliamentary seats required to form a government and to ratify its candidate as president. Moreover the BDP can now govern without being held back by opposition parties. This is the most significant point.
We applaud the Botswana government for historically not succumbing to capitalist accumulation (since the country’s independence from Britain in 1966) in the area of public service transformation.
We note how in most of Africa neoliberal reforms were imposed on governments that were heavily indebted via the structural adjustment programs of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), in the 1980’s We recognize that Botswana escaped this fate because its revenue from diamonds enabled it to avoid the accumulation of a huge public debt.
We recognize that since imperialism could not trap Botswana via debt it has resorted to trying to buy certain elements (including political leaders and senior managers in the public sector) to implement neo liberal reforms.
BLF has consistently called on imperialism in cahoots with white monopoly capital and their agents – including President Ramaphosa’s extended family – to stop destabilizing Botswana via regime change for its diamonds. They wanted to steal Botswana’s diamonds like they have robbed South Africa of R1.4 trillion with Independent Power Producers (IPPs). BLF maintains its solidarity with the progressive government and people of Botswana.
In this context we salute the Botswana government’s consistently successful post independence economic legacy and sound public administration track record.
BLF wishes the Botswana government success in strengthening its economy, protecting its mineral resources, and responding to the needs of its people.
Long live President Masisi! Victory to the people of Botswana!
Issued by the National Coordinating Committee of Black First Land First (BLF NCC)
27 October 2019
Contact details
Black First Land First Email:[email protected]
Technical Advisor, International Relations: Shantha Balakrishna
Cell number: +27 72 114 3670
Deputy President: Zanele Lwana
Cell:Cell: +27 79 986 7225