A trully earth-shattering political development recently occured in our parliament. Not surprisingly most of the mainstream "independent" news media either did not notice the political significance of the move, or being BDP at the core, feared possible repercussions on BDP's lack of accountability.
The leader of the opposition, Duma Boko was rightly critisizing President Khama's government for "approving" some P800 million without presenting it to parliament for debate and approval, or rejection! It boggles the mind how any responsible politician in Parliament can accept Khama's signature as the only necessary authority for such humongous expenditure, given the vast amounts of money that just disappear without trace (dwt) under Khama's government: P38 million (dwt) at Water Utilities Corporation; P38 million (dwt) at Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board; Several billions (dwt) at the Fenghue Glass factory in Palapye etc.
Fortunately, in the midst of the snoring majority BDP MPs there are still some who are willing to "take risks" in pursuit of their oath/vow to protect the interests of the motherland. They do not fear to take a firm stand against the dictates of their party leaders, where the interests of the country (their electorates) are being abused willy-nilly. The member of Parliament for Nata/Gweta, Paulson Majaga is such an MP. Despite him being a BDP MP, he backed the leader of Opposition in voicing his opposition to President Khama "authorising" close to a billion Pula without Parliament's approval. Such MPs are an invaluable asset to the national psyche. Their existence in our Parliament gives us reason to hope that even with the continuous rigging that our elections are subject to, the government may one day fall through a vote of no confidence.
It is for this reason that in my view the BDP should seriously consider promoting the member of Parliament for Nata/Gweta, Paulson Majaga, to the position of Party President. Paulson Majaga as President would probably not be enough to save BDP from the chop at the next (hopefully, unrigged) elections, but his sense of accountability would be like a breeze of fresh air as compared to the current stifling BDP administration.
Monday, December 28, 2015
Friday, November 20, 2015
Correction - "Tribes of the Kalanga nation"
In the post entitled "Tribes of the Kalanga nation" on Thursday 9 July 2015 I erred (lied?) when I wrote:
The Mokoba/Moyeyi controlled the human "traffic" with the help of a branch of a very prickley tree. The Tswana call the tree "Mokoba". In Kalanga, the tree is called "Nkosho", MEANING THAT IT SPENT THE DAY (KU SHWA) NEXT TO THE DOOR/MOYEYI(NKOBA)The capitalized phrase above is what is wrong. The prickley tree is called Nkosho alright, and the word "Nkosho" breaks down to two parts as I stated "Nko" from Nkoba, and "Sho". But the "Sho" does not derive from (Ku shwa). The "Sho" means "Prickley", as in the words "ishosho" , meaning a prickley plant prevalent in the correspondingly named village "shoshong"; a scorpion is called "leSHOkgo" in Setswana language; the hedgehog is called "iSHOni" in Kalanga; and of course the good old "SHOndo" meaning "I prick :)!
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Smartphoners, beware of lightning!
It looks like the rainy season has now begun. In addition to thanking God that the rains are finally knocking at our doorstep, we need to caution young people about their current trend of wearing what amounts to lightning-attracting gadgets on their ears - music ear phones!
A year or two ago, some kids from Naledi Senior Secondary School, while wearing those gadgets during a lightning storm, were struck by lightning.
A year or two ago, some kids from Naledi Senior Secondary School, while wearing those gadgets during a lightning storm, were struck by lightning.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Matsha Secondary School tragedy.
When tragedy on the scale of the Matsha Secondary School truck accident that killed seven of our kids strikes, the nation needs to come together, for the simple reason that it must never ever be allowed to happen again. Coming together means we need to find out what we did wrong, or the measures we failed to take, leading to the tragedy.
The trajedy needs to be taken away from the realm of politics - no amount of headbutts and/or fists will tell us what happenned. Only a Judicial commission of enquiry would tell us that. And this is where national magnanimity comes in - A e nne modiga, Be-Shashe. I will explain the "Be-Shashe" in a later post. For now please read it as "Batswana".
And so I call upon President Dr. Ian Khama and the Judicial Service Commission, to appoint attorney Omphemetse Motumise as judge on a temporary basis, to head a judicial inquiry into the Matsha School accident. I call upon Rre Motumise, as a lawyer of high integrity, familiar with the Kgalagadi terrain and people, to accept such an appointment. I call upon the people of this country to give all concerned, the latitude to make the judicial inquiry a success!
The trajedy needs to be taken away from the realm of politics - no amount of headbutts and/or fists will tell us what happenned. Only a Judicial commission of enquiry would tell us that. And this is where national magnanimity comes in - A e nne modiga, Be-Shashe. I will explain the "Be-Shashe" in a later post. For now please read it as "Batswana".
And so I call upon President Dr. Ian Khama and the Judicial Service Commission, to appoint attorney Omphemetse Motumise as judge on a temporary basis, to head a judicial inquiry into the Matsha School accident. I call upon Rre Motumise, as a lawyer of high integrity, familiar with the Kgalagadi terrain and people, to accept such an appointment. I call upon the people of this country to give all concerned, the latitude to make the judicial inquiry a success!
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Big (language) lies in our country.
I am a lazy reader. Last week, while reading the WeekendPost newspaper (07 - 13 November) I scribbled on my subconcious that there was an article by Dr Cosmos Kebinang Moenga, with a curious heading "There is more to culture than singing and dancing", which article I had to remember to read. As so often happens, I forgot to read it and threw the paper on to the heap. Today for some unknown reason, I remembered the article; perhaps because I observed some drinkers rolling and floating to the sound of the noisy gumbagumba at a nearby shebeen.
And so I dug up Dr. Cosmos Kebinang Moenga's artcle and read it. It is very enlightenning and I strongly recommend it.
When I reached the end, I remembered how I recently experienced the power of "Big Lies" told by "big" people (as related in Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'). You see, I never view anything written in Setswana language as possibly carrying any reading value, and so I never read anything written in Setswana language, be it reports or opinion pieces. I must admit though, that my knowledge of Setswana is quite poor!
A few months ago, I bought a Wednesday edition of Mmegi (The Reporter) newspaper. As I paged through, I came accross an article written in Kalanga language, by Dr. Shandulani Buyani Vavani. I instinctively started reading it. I got so egrossed in reading this article, nothing could have swayed my attention whatsoever. By the time I finished reading the article, I felt in much lighter mood; but what then followed is what really shocked me. I found myself having read an entire article in Setswana language in the same paper, without even noticing that I was reading a Setswana article. It was just like the Setswana language article was a continuation of Dr. Vavani's humorous Kalanga article. Perhaps for the first time in my sixty-odd years I stood back and detached myself from what had just happenned to me, and attempted to understand it. I had unconciously sought value in a Setswana language piece, a language I consider oppressive of my native Kalanga; a language I severely despise! I had done that because Dr. Vavani's article, written in my language, had tripped a Setswana-barring switch implanted in my subconcious by the perception that Setswana language oppresses my native Kalanga language.
What had just happenned is proof if ever one were needed, that our Government's argument that allowing languages other than Setswana to be officially used would breed national disunity, is total nonsense. On the contrary, it would cement our nation together, because we would begin to appreciate the value in our fellow country men and women. In other words, we would be truly "free men and women". We would feel curious enough about other languages used in our country that we would become multilingual. A Kalanga like me, would want to converse with an old Naro woman or man, and the only way to do it would be to learn her/his language!
So, beware of Government "Biglies"! The reason why Seretse Khama banned Kalanga from being taught in schools was his inferiority complex as a Setswana speaker who was fully aware that the nation he was leading was a Kalanga nation, and that therefore the only way he could retain the privileged position thrust upon him by Imperialist Britain was to repress and assimilate the majority (Kalanga) into the minority (Tswana). He did it in grand style - by proclaiming that Kalangas are a tribe, and at the same time challenging them to tell him who their paramount chief should be. Imagine the cheek of it. He declares Kalangas a tribe, and instead of him identifying the "paramount chief" of said tribe, he demands that that "tribe" identify to him who their "traditional" paramount chief is!. The same warped argument is being advanced today by Setswana so-called "intellectuals". They now want Kalanga (and other) non-Setswana speakers to tell them how Government can best preserve the many languages spoken in our country! My answer to them is simple - the same way you have so far preserved the Setswana language. As a Kalanga I do not accept the crap about Setswana language being "the National language". Who made it a national language over and above Kalanga, when the Tswana speakers have always been a subset of Kalanga speakers? Seretse Khama never asked, nor did he receive any acceptance by Kalanga speakers that their language be banned from schools. He never conducted a referendum on such an important national question.
In my view, Kalangas should boycot the 50 year Independence anniversary celebrations next year, including the vision 2036 council, until the teaching of Kalanga is RESTORED in our schools!
And so I dug up Dr. Cosmos Kebinang Moenga's artcle and read it. It is very enlightenning and I strongly recommend it.
When I reached the end, I remembered how I recently experienced the power of "Big Lies" told by "big" people (as related in Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'). You see, I never view anything written in Setswana language as possibly carrying any reading value, and so I never read anything written in Setswana language, be it reports or opinion pieces. I must admit though, that my knowledge of Setswana is quite poor!
A few months ago, I bought a Wednesday edition of Mmegi (The Reporter) newspaper. As I paged through, I came accross an article written in Kalanga language, by Dr. Shandulani Buyani Vavani. I instinctively started reading it. I got so egrossed in reading this article, nothing could have swayed my attention whatsoever. By the time I finished reading the article, I felt in much lighter mood; but what then followed is what really shocked me. I found myself having read an entire article in Setswana language in the same paper, without even noticing that I was reading a Setswana article. It was just like the Setswana language article was a continuation of Dr. Vavani's humorous Kalanga article. Perhaps for the first time in my sixty-odd years I stood back and detached myself from what had just happenned to me, and attempted to understand it. I had unconciously sought value in a Setswana language piece, a language I consider oppressive of my native Kalanga; a language I severely despise! I had done that because Dr. Vavani's article, written in my language, had tripped a Setswana-barring switch implanted in my subconcious by the perception that Setswana language oppresses my native Kalanga language.
What had just happenned is proof if ever one were needed, that our Government's argument that allowing languages other than Setswana to be officially used would breed national disunity, is total nonsense. On the contrary, it would cement our nation together, because we would begin to appreciate the value in our fellow country men and women. In other words, we would be truly "free men and women". We would feel curious enough about other languages used in our country that we would become multilingual. A Kalanga like me, would want to converse with an old Naro woman or man, and the only way to do it would be to learn her/his language!
So, beware of Government "Biglies"! The reason why Seretse Khama banned Kalanga from being taught in schools was his inferiority complex as a Setswana speaker who was fully aware that the nation he was leading was a Kalanga nation, and that therefore the only way he could retain the privileged position thrust upon him by Imperialist Britain was to repress and assimilate the majority (Kalanga) into the minority (Tswana). He did it in grand style - by proclaiming that Kalangas are a tribe, and at the same time challenging them to tell him who their paramount chief should be. Imagine the cheek of it. He declares Kalangas a tribe, and instead of him identifying the "paramount chief" of said tribe, he demands that that "tribe" identify to him who their "traditional" paramount chief is!. The same warped argument is being advanced today by Setswana so-called "intellectuals". They now want Kalanga (and other) non-Setswana speakers to tell them how Government can best preserve the many languages spoken in our country! My answer to them is simple - the same way you have so far preserved the Setswana language. As a Kalanga I do not accept the crap about Setswana language being "the National language". Who made it a national language over and above Kalanga, when the Tswana speakers have always been a subset of Kalanga speakers? Seretse Khama never asked, nor did he receive any acceptance by Kalanga speakers that their language be banned from schools. He never conducted a referendum on such an important national question.
In my view, Kalangas should boycot the 50 year Independence anniversary celebrations next year, including the vision 2036 council, until the teaching of Kalanga is RESTORED in our schools!
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Motumise vs President Dr Ian Khama
Kante just what is the dispute in the LSB and Motumise vs. President Dr Ian Khama and others case? Yes we know that in not appointing attorney Motumise as Judge President Khama is said to have "rejected" the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). But what does "rejecting" advice of JSC have to do with the constitution?
Forget about ADVICE by its nature being not binding. What is binding here is the words "IN ACCORDANCE WITH". These words can never be interpreted to mean the same thing as "IN DISCORDANCE WITH".
- The constitution is said to clearly state that the President shall act IN ACCORDANCE with the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
- The President admits that he acted IN DISCORDANCE with said advice! So what's the beef? He acted unconstitutionally!
Forget about ADVICE by its nature being not binding. What is binding here is the words "IN ACCORDANCE WITH". These words can never be interpreted to mean the same thing as "IN DISCORDANCE WITH".
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Solo J: Apology or two fingers?
I think BOPEU should cool off a little and take time to read Justice Professor Kholisani Solo's "apology". The Sunday Standard of September 20 -26, 2015 quotes from the alleged apology of the professor as follows:
My English is very poor admittedly, but isn't this equivalent to what Galileo said to the Inquisition when they demanded that he withdraw his statements about the Earth revolving around the Sun - "I withdraw, but she continues to revolve"?
"I fully realize the embarrassment caused to the Chief Justice and the appointing authority and apologise unapologetically about it. I express my loyalty ..."
My English is very poor admittedly, but isn't this equivalent to what Galileo said to the Inquisition when they demanded that he withdraw his statements about the Earth revolving around the Sun - "I withdraw, but she continues to revolve"?
Sunday, August 30, 2015
The Pesher language technique
And so thanks to the Dead Sea scrolls we now know who the Lemba (Mwenye) really are. We also know why their DNA traceability to the Jews is not matrilineal but patrilineal.
But first things first.
The pesher technique that Benson Saili, in his writings about the Dead Sea scrolls, claims was invented by the Essenes is a standard Kalanga language construct used exactly as it was used by the Essenes. In Kalanga, speaking in pesher is called “KU PESA”. Indeed, the word “Essenes” itself is in “pesher” as follows:
The first "E" is the usual Kalanga/Nguni "i-something" prefix, as in "i-mpala; i-mota; etc". In English it simply translates to "It is - " or in short form, "It's". It is the same "E" as used in the word Egypt. In the word "Italy" it is correctly rendered in the Kalanga language "I-".
The next part "-ssenes", comes from the Kalanga verb "KU SENA", meaning "TO GO UNDER (something)". In the case of the Essenes, it simply meant that they were an underground movement. However, the Romans would not have associated "Ku sena" with being seditious, but simply with literally going under (a branch, a ladder etc). Therein lies the pesher nature of their name "Essenes".
If, as Ben Saili points out, the Essenes were a male religious sect or order, that would explain why the Lemba of Southern Africa show only a patrilineal, and not a matrilineal DNA connection to the Middle East. In other words, the Lemba are the original Essenes order of the Jews. As to why they are black, that is no issue. In fact to us Africans they have distinct Asian features, which they share with many other present day African groups. To us Kalangas, they are simply Baperi, tribally different from other Kalanga tribes such as Bawumbe, Bangwa-Ato, Bakhurutshe, Bangwa-khwizi, Bakhwa, Ba-Mbukushu; but no less Kalanga than those other tribes! However, their customs are a reflection of their history, and therefore of necessity must differ from the customs of say, the Banyayi for example. The Lemba customs are, as professor Parfitt pointed out, distinctly Jewish. Of course, as the Essenes, they would have to be.
This brings me to a very touchy subject, which I hope will not land me in jail. I am very disturbed by the current stampede by Botswana traditional leaders from their roles as custodians of their respective peoples' cultures, into Parliament. Some newspaper columnists argue that it is a good thing, since politicians have usurped the powers of traditional leaders anyway, leaving the latter powerless to direct the lives of their people. I do not agree. In my view, the House of Traditional leadres (Ntlo ya Dikgosi), after its reconstitution to include all tribes that are currently not represented therin, Bahumbe, Bakhwa, BaMbukushu, BaKoba, BaSubiya, Baperi, BaNyayi, BaNambdza, Barotsi etc, should fight to have the final say in all matters that have a bearing on the cultures of their people.
A court in Francistown is currently seized with a very sad case in which a member of the Lemba/Baperi tribe has been convicted of raping his own daughter, and fathering a child with her. He faces a possibility of life in prison. I am wondering if the tradition/culture of the convict may have had anything to do with his behaviour. Assuming that it did, will entry of his chief into Parliament lead to the enactment of laws that take into account the effect of his culture upon his behaviour? If not, then why should his chief strive to enter Parliament, rather than to be given powers under the House of traditional leaders, to have the final say in matters affecting the culture of his people?
My comment on this case is not in any way meant to interfere with the course of Justice. On the contrary, it simply highlights the importance of having traditional leaders having a say, outside Parliament, in the cultural lives of their subjects. I am not Lemba/Pedi, therefore maybe I am wrong in my insinuations about the Lemba culture. However I know that this country's citizens come from all sorts of different cultural backgrounds, and to ignore the possible effect of their cultural upbringing on their subsequent behaviours would be a recipe for future disintegration of our nation.
But first things first.
The pesher technique that Benson Saili, in his writings about the Dead Sea scrolls, claims was invented by the Essenes is a standard Kalanga language construct used exactly as it was used by the Essenes. In Kalanga, speaking in pesher is called “KU PESA”. Indeed, the word “Essenes” itself is in “pesher” as follows:
The first "E" is the usual Kalanga/Nguni "i-something" prefix, as in "i-mpala; i-mota; etc". In English it simply translates to "It is - " or in short form, "It's". It is the same "E" as used in the word Egypt. In the word "Italy" it is correctly rendered in the Kalanga language "I-".
The next part "-ssenes", comes from the Kalanga verb "KU SENA", meaning "TO GO UNDER (something)". In the case of the Essenes, it simply meant that they were an underground movement. However, the Romans would not have associated "Ku sena" with being seditious, but simply with literally going under (a branch, a ladder etc). Therein lies the pesher nature of their name "Essenes".
If, as Ben Saili points out, the Essenes were a male religious sect or order, that would explain why the Lemba of Southern Africa show only a patrilineal, and not a matrilineal DNA connection to the Middle East. In other words, the Lemba are the original Essenes order of the Jews. As to why they are black, that is no issue. In fact to us Africans they have distinct Asian features, which they share with many other present day African groups. To us Kalangas, they are simply Baperi, tribally different from other Kalanga tribes such as Bawumbe, Bangwa-Ato, Bakhurutshe, Bangwa-khwizi, Bakhwa, Ba-Mbukushu; but no less Kalanga than those other tribes! However, their customs are a reflection of their history, and therefore of necessity must differ from the customs of say, the Banyayi for example. The Lemba customs are, as professor Parfitt pointed out, distinctly Jewish. Of course, as the Essenes, they would have to be.
This brings me to a very touchy subject, which I hope will not land me in jail. I am very disturbed by the current stampede by Botswana traditional leaders from their roles as custodians of their respective peoples' cultures, into Parliament. Some newspaper columnists argue that it is a good thing, since politicians have usurped the powers of traditional leaders anyway, leaving the latter powerless to direct the lives of their people. I do not agree. In my view, the House of Traditional leadres (Ntlo ya Dikgosi), after its reconstitution to include all tribes that are currently not represented therin, Bahumbe, Bakhwa, BaMbukushu, BaKoba, BaSubiya, Baperi, BaNyayi, BaNambdza, Barotsi etc, should fight to have the final say in all matters that have a bearing on the cultures of their people.
A court in Francistown is currently seized with a very sad case in which a member of the Lemba/Baperi tribe has been convicted of raping his own daughter, and fathering a child with her. He faces a possibility of life in prison. I am wondering if the tradition/culture of the convict may have had anything to do with his behaviour. Assuming that it did, will entry of his chief into Parliament lead to the enactment of laws that take into account the effect of his culture upon his behaviour? If not, then why should his chief strive to enter Parliament, rather than to be given powers under the House of traditional leaders, to have the final say in matters affecting the culture of his people?
My comment on this case is not in any way meant to interfere with the course of Justice. On the contrary, it simply highlights the importance of having traditional leaders having a say, outside Parliament, in the cultural lives of their subjects. I am not Lemba/Pedi, therefore maybe I am wrong in my insinuations about the Lemba culture. However I know that this country's citizens come from all sorts of different cultural backgrounds, and to ignore the possible effect of their cultural upbringing on their subsequent behaviours would be a recipe for future disintegration of our nation.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Good Hope / Mabule - LOL!!!!!
First I want to thank Balilima-chirwa for rejecting Eric Molale at the recent by-election. Having been a civil servant under Eric Molale, I fully agree with BOFEPUSU who have labelled him an enemy of the workers. I feel partly avanged.
All that I am now looking forward to is the same fate befalling that *&%$£^ in Australia if and when he tries his luck at the polls!
Reading the newspapers, I realise that some people are now questioning the "capability" of the Independent Electrol Commission to conduct timely counting of ballots. Some columnists are now calling for electronic voting as a way of "speeding up" vote counting.
My take on this is that the "Independent Electoral Commission" secretariat will never be truly impartial (non partisan) as long as civil servants are allowed to become members of political parties. I have never been able to understand why a worker who expects not to be fired from employment should a certain party lose elections, would consider it "ethical" to openly declare his/her partisanship by applying for membership of a political party.
I am not faulting civil servants for having partisan political preferences. Like every other citizen, they are politically concious animals. What I am saying is that civil servants owe it to the nation (their employer) not to be seen to be exercising their responsibilties in a politically partial way; what better way of showing partiality than applying to join one political party.
Imagine that you are the ruling party, and a vacancy exists at the Independent Electoral Commission secretariat. Wouldn't you be tempted to employ one of your own members, to the exclusion of those of opposition political parties for such a "sensitive" position? Of course you would. If you succumb to the temptation, the IEC will most likely be manned not by the most capable workers, but by the most partial and partisan opportunists. In fact the whole civil service will gravitate towards the most inefficient workforce, because any opportunist who fancies being a permanent secretary (high pay) will opt to follow the easy way towards that objective - get a ruling party card, and you are home and dry!
Under the current civil service rules, where civil servants are allowed to be members of political parties, it is illogical to assume that the Independent Electoral Commission secretariat could be truly impartial. A member of a political party usualy swears to protect the interests of that party. If he/she doesn't, then what is the point of becoming a member in the first place?
Following from the above, it should be clear that Political parties, especially the opposition ones owe it to their members and supporters to keep a very close watch on what the Independent Electoral Commission secretariat does before, during and (especially) after an election. There is nothing inherently wrong with manual counting of ballots for a population of two million people. What presents itself as a challenge is the insistence that counting officers should take a break! In a country where people are hurling insults at South Africa for failing to open her borders 24 hours a day, why is it so difficult to count the ballots without a break? Why is it not a problem to work around the clock in Jwaneng, Orapa, clinics etc? In my view there should be relieving teams at the counting of votes. In the same way that a cashier in a shop cashes in her take for the day, seals it, hands it in, and is replaced by another cashier, so also a counting crew can be relieved by another.
What is crucial is that COUNTING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AT THE ELECTION POINT, THE RESULTS VERIFIED AND PUBLISHED BEFORE ANY BALLOT BOXES CAN BE MOVED
All that I am now looking forward to is the same fate befalling that *&%$£^ in Australia if and when he tries his luck at the polls!
Reading the newspapers, I realise that some people are now questioning the "capability" of the Independent Electrol Commission to conduct timely counting of ballots. Some columnists are now calling for electronic voting as a way of "speeding up" vote counting.
My take on this is that the "Independent Electoral Commission" secretariat will never be truly impartial (non partisan) as long as civil servants are allowed to become members of political parties. I have never been able to understand why a worker who expects not to be fired from employment should a certain party lose elections, would consider it "ethical" to openly declare his/her partisanship by applying for membership of a political party.
I am not faulting civil servants for having partisan political preferences. Like every other citizen, they are politically concious animals. What I am saying is that civil servants owe it to the nation (their employer) not to be seen to be exercising their responsibilties in a politically partial way; what better way of showing partiality than applying to join one political party.
Imagine that you are the ruling party, and a vacancy exists at the Independent Electoral Commission secretariat. Wouldn't you be tempted to employ one of your own members, to the exclusion of those of opposition political parties for such a "sensitive" position? Of course you would. If you succumb to the temptation, the IEC will most likely be manned not by the most capable workers, but by the most partial and partisan opportunists. In fact the whole civil service will gravitate towards the most inefficient workforce, because any opportunist who fancies being a permanent secretary (high pay) will opt to follow the easy way towards that objective - get a ruling party card, and you are home and dry!
Under the current civil service rules, where civil servants are allowed to be members of political parties, it is illogical to assume that the Independent Electoral Commission secretariat could be truly impartial. A member of a political party usualy swears to protect the interests of that party. If he/she doesn't, then what is the point of becoming a member in the first place?
Following from the above, it should be clear that Political parties, especially the opposition ones owe it to their members and supporters to keep a very close watch on what the Independent Electoral Commission secretariat does before, during and (especially) after an election. There is nothing inherently wrong with manual counting of ballots for a population of two million people. What presents itself as a challenge is the insistence that counting officers should take a break! In a country where people are hurling insults at South Africa for failing to open her borders 24 hours a day, why is it so difficult to count the ballots without a break? Why is it not a problem to work around the clock in Jwaneng, Orapa, clinics etc? In my view there should be relieving teams at the counting of votes. In the same way that a cashier in a shop cashes in her take for the day, seals it, hands it in, and is replaced by another cashier, so also a counting crew can be relieved by another.
What is crucial is that COUNTING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AT THE ELECTION POINT, THE RESULTS VERIFIED AND PUBLISHED BEFORE ANY BALLOT BOXES CAN BE MOVED
Friday, August 7, 2015
Stoki, Stoki ....
When little girls jump to the rythm of "Stoki, Stoki; ngwanamatsale ...", little do they realise that the "tsiditsidi" they allege exists is just ice; ice used to cool the "baloyi".
In case you missed it, there has been a spirited exchange (conversation) between me and another commentor under the topic "Are Barwa, Barua?" in the blog nkalangaunozwida.blogspot.com.
In case you missed it, there has been a spirited exchange (conversation) between me and another commentor under the topic "Are Barwa, Barua?" in the blog nkalangaunozwida.blogspot.com.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Dipholo's article an eye-opener!
I don't remember ever making a post like this one - simply exhorting the readers (especially the so-called "Youth") to please read Kenneth Dipholo's column in yesterday's Sunday Standard newspaper (July 26 - 1 August, 2015). The column is called "Badge of Courage", and the article is about "Skills' mismatch..."
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Get up Mperi!
As you lay sprawled on the people’s pavement
The enemy’s face wearing a smirk of amusement
Stroking his pompous belly with misplaced satisfaction
Oblivious of the fact he never faced our election
Nor has he experienced our wrath in insurrection
I wanted to cry “Get up Mperi and lead us to Canaan!”
In your splendid white suit you had entered our Parliament
To voice our plight, our thirst, our powerless predicament
For that is what we elected you to do, to represent us
Even in the face of those who would rather repress us
But they had other ideas; their ignorant mongrels
Whose brain power is limited to Yes Sir, Whom Sir?
Stood ready to take any order from the pompous unelected
Even the order to desecrate our Parliament
By throwing out those whom we elected
I say get up Mperi and lead us to Canaan!
The enemy’s face wearing a smirk of amusement
Stroking his pompous belly with misplaced satisfaction
Oblivious of the fact he never faced our election
Nor has he experienced our wrath in insurrection
I wanted to cry “Get up Mperi and lead us to Canaan!”
In your splendid white suit you had entered our Parliament
To voice our plight, our thirst, our powerless predicament
For that is what we elected you to do, to represent us
Even in the face of those who would rather repress us
But they had other ideas; their ignorant mongrels
Whose brain power is limited to Yes Sir, Whom Sir?
Stood ready to take any order from the pompous unelected
Even the order to desecrate our Parliament
By throwing out those whom we elected
I say get up Mperi and lead us to Canaan!
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Chinese ambassador's warning!
Given that our members of parliament (MP's) get thrown out of Parliament when they attempt to debate issues surrounding Morupule B powerstation and scarcity of water in the pipes of Gaborone, we are left with no choice but to ask the pertinent questions online!
It has not been denied by our Government that the Chinese ambassador's warning about the incompetence of the Chinese company to build a station the size of Morupule B, went unheeded. But strangely, the Government has never revealed who exactly (in Government) received that warning, and how far up the chain of command the warning was escalated.
We know that at the apex of projects sat the then vice-president (now president) Lt. General Ian Khama. Above him sat his then boss, President Festus Mogae. So my question is this: Who received the Chinese ambassador's warning, and how far up the chain of command was the warning escalated?
I ask this question fully aware that I may get hurled my way, an answer similar to the one assistant commissioner Mbulawa of the BPS supplied regarding the whereabouts of the report on the fatal helicopter crash - 'the report was given to the people who matter'!
It has not been denied by our Government that the Chinese ambassador's warning about the incompetence of the Chinese company to build a station the size of Morupule B, went unheeded. But strangely, the Government has never revealed who exactly (in Government) received that warning, and how far up the chain of command the warning was escalated.
We know that at the apex of projects sat the then vice-president (now president) Lt. General Ian Khama. Above him sat his then boss, President Festus Mogae. So my question is this: Who received the Chinese ambassador's warning, and how far up the chain of command was the warning escalated?
I ask this question fully aware that I may get hurled my way, an answer similar to the one assistant commissioner Mbulawa of the BPS supplied regarding the whereabouts of the report on the fatal helicopter crash - 'the report was given to the people who matter'!
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Tribes of the Kalanga nation
If you understand neither Kalanga nor Sotho/Tswana language, I'm afraid you will not be able to understand this post.
I have always wondered why, if you ask a Kalanga of "Kwena" tribe what his/her totem is, he/she seldom if ever, says "Ngwena". They seem to always either say "Kwena" or "Mokwena". Indeed one such Kalanga chief said to me "To tuna Kwena, to dwa ku Molepolole!", which translates to "Our totem is Kwena, we come from Molepolole!".
I will not go into the merits or demerits of the claim "we come from Molepolole" as I am sure by now the reader understands the warped mentality of some Kalangas, post the British ceding our country to Barwa. What I am trying to point out here is the incongruity of a Kalanga calling his/her totem by a "Tswana" name! There is something very odd about a Kalanga saying his totem in Setswana language.
As it turns out there is nothing odd about it at all - because "Kwena" is not a Tswana word, but a Anunnaki/Kalanga word! We know who the Bakwena are of course. These are the people who looked after/herded the animals whose milk sustained the Anunnaki at Khami/Nkami, just outside Bulawayo. That is why today the names Ko-disa, Modisaotsile, Nlisi, Badisa are common among the Bakwena.
And so as herders, the "battle cry" of the Bakwena as it were, was the cry "Ku-ina!", meaning "To the water hole/source!", and that being a directive to their animal herds to head for water. The word "Ku-ina" is what was corrupted to become "Kwena". You see, in reality Barwa have no totem, because they are from Bulawayo and not from Mapungubwe like most other "Batswana". In Mapungubwe the Anunnaki devised totems to control workflow across a very wide diversity of early human workgroups. You can read all about that in my (Zwidenkalanga) posts on forums.gov.bw. At Nkami there were just animal herders and milkers; not much diversity at all. Therefore the need for totems fell away. That is why the Bangwato (Milkers) ended up adopting the Baka-Tjiliga (Boo-Seleka) totem of the duiker (Phuthi) when they arrived in Botswana and were "seconded" by Nshakazhogwe to the Mathangwane people. The other milkers (Bangwa-khwizi/Bangwaketse) stuck to their "battle cry" - "Ku-ina!", alias "Kwena".
The Bakwena are not the only people who were ultimately named according to their "battle-cry". The name "Bayeyi" is another example of a cry that became a name. The true name of Bayeyi is Bakoba, with the "o" pronounced as in "go away!" and not as in "book". One can write a book on Bakoba. "Ku koba" in Kalanga means to apportion (to more than one person) individally. A Moyeyi is Nkoba in Kalanga. He stood at the door (also Nkoba in Kalanga) during feeding time and gave portions of food to those needing to be fed. A door is called "Kgoro" in Setswana, suggesting that that is where people went to be fed (go kgora).
The Mokoba/Moyeyi contolled the human "traffic" with the help of a branch of a very prickley tree. The Tswana call the tree "Mokoba". In Kalanga, the tree is called "Nkosho", meaning that it spent the day (ku shwa) next to the door/Moyeyi (Nkoba). So the Tswana name and the Kalanga name of that tree, although different phonetically, have the same origin, and describe the same use for the named tree! Is it possible that there were Bakoba at Nkami? Absolutely! The Anunnaki might even have brought them all the way from Mapungubwe, via Great Zimbabwe to Nkami. It's like Bakhwa. In Kalanga we say "Hakuna pasina Nkhwa", meaning that there is nowhere on earth where there are no Bakhwa (Bushmen). Of course this follows from the fact that wherever the Anunnaki camped, save perhaps for the ice caps at the North and South poles, they needed to be cooled, hence Nkhwa (Bushman) had to be there!.
Now, let's end this post on a rather sad note. We all know that the Bangwato in Ngamiland now call themselves "Batawana", and that the British declared Bambukusho a subject tribe to the "Batawana". The Bambukushu are the true Batawana. The Bangwato of Chief Tawana Moremi are usurpers of the name "Batawana". The name "Batawana" is a Kalanga word, meaning "Those whom we found". We know that the Bangwato of Moremi found the Bambukusho in Ngamiland because the latter are an earlier generation of humanity than the former. The Bambukusho's responsibility as a human work group was to "beat and mix" the faeces that the Anunnaki ate for sustenance. The tool used is called "mpukusho" in Kalanga, "lehetho or lefetlho" in Setswana. The Bangwato's responsibility in contrast, was to milk cows at Nkami near Bulawayo.
Because the Anunnaki used to eat our faeces BEFORE they changed to a milk diet, we can safely conclude that the Bambukusho pre-date the Bangwato of Chief Moremi in Ngamiland, i.e. the latter found the former there - Batawana.
Chiefs' names are just a big spin! For instance, if you look at the chieftainship line of Bangwato online, you will find a Chief named Ngwato. But we know there was never such a chief, because Ngwato simply means "Nngwa-Ato", a Kalanga word meaning "a milker for Ato/Anunnaki".
I have always wondered why, if you ask a Kalanga of "Kwena" tribe what his/her totem is, he/she seldom if ever, says "Ngwena". They seem to always either say "Kwena" or "Mokwena". Indeed one such Kalanga chief said to me "To tuna Kwena, to dwa ku Molepolole!", which translates to "Our totem is Kwena, we come from Molepolole!".
I will not go into the merits or demerits of the claim "we come from Molepolole" as I am sure by now the reader understands the warped mentality of some Kalangas, post the British ceding our country to Barwa. What I am trying to point out here is the incongruity of a Kalanga calling his/her totem by a "Tswana" name! There is something very odd about a Kalanga saying his totem in Setswana language.
As it turns out there is nothing odd about it at all - because "Kwena" is not a Tswana word, but a Anunnaki/Kalanga word! We know who the Bakwena are of course. These are the people who looked after/herded the animals whose milk sustained the Anunnaki at Khami/Nkami, just outside Bulawayo. That is why today the names Ko-disa, Modisaotsile, Nlisi, Badisa are common among the Bakwena.
And so as herders, the "battle cry" of the Bakwena as it were, was the cry "Ku-ina!", meaning "To the water hole/source!", and that being a directive to their animal herds to head for water. The word "Ku-ina" is what was corrupted to become "Kwena". You see, in reality Barwa have no totem, because they are from Bulawayo and not from Mapungubwe like most other "Batswana". In Mapungubwe the Anunnaki devised totems to control workflow across a very wide diversity of early human workgroups. You can read all about that in my (Zwidenkalanga) posts on forums.gov.bw. At Nkami there were just animal herders and milkers; not much diversity at all. Therefore the need for totems fell away. That is why the Bangwato (Milkers) ended up adopting the Baka-Tjiliga (Boo-Seleka) totem of the duiker (Phuthi) when they arrived in Botswana and were "seconded" by Nshakazhogwe to the Mathangwane people. The other milkers (Bangwa-khwizi/Bangwaketse) stuck to their "battle cry" - "Ku-ina!", alias "Kwena".
The Bakwena are not the only people who were ultimately named according to their "battle-cry". The name "Bayeyi" is another example of a cry that became a name. The true name of Bayeyi is Bakoba, with the "o" pronounced as in "go away!" and not as in "book". One can write a book on Bakoba. "Ku koba" in Kalanga means to apportion (to more than one person) individally. A Moyeyi is Nkoba in Kalanga. He stood at the door (also Nkoba in Kalanga) during feeding time and gave portions of food to those needing to be fed. A door is called "Kgoro" in Setswana, suggesting that that is where people went to be fed (go kgora).
The Mokoba/Moyeyi contolled the human "traffic" with the help of a branch of a very prickley tree. The Tswana call the tree "Mokoba". In Kalanga, the tree is called "Nkosho", meaning that it spent the day (ku shwa) next to the door/Moyeyi (Nkoba). So the Tswana name and the Kalanga name of that tree, although different phonetically, have the same origin, and describe the same use for the named tree! Is it possible that there were Bakoba at Nkami? Absolutely! The Anunnaki might even have brought them all the way from Mapungubwe, via Great Zimbabwe to Nkami. It's like Bakhwa. In Kalanga we say "Hakuna pasina Nkhwa", meaning that there is nowhere on earth where there are no Bakhwa (Bushmen). Of course this follows from the fact that wherever the Anunnaki camped, save perhaps for the ice caps at the North and South poles, they needed to be cooled, hence Nkhwa (Bushman) had to be there!.
Now, let's end this post on a rather sad note. We all know that the Bangwato in Ngamiland now call themselves "Batawana", and that the British declared Bambukusho a subject tribe to the "Batawana". The Bambukushu are the true Batawana. The Bangwato of Chief Tawana Moremi are usurpers of the name "Batawana". The name "Batawana" is a Kalanga word, meaning "Those whom we found". We know that the Bangwato of Moremi found the Bambukusho in Ngamiland because the latter are an earlier generation of humanity than the former. The Bambukusho's responsibility as a human work group was to "beat and mix" the faeces that the Anunnaki ate for sustenance. The tool used is called "mpukusho" in Kalanga, "lehetho or lefetlho" in Setswana. The Bangwato's responsibility in contrast, was to milk cows at Nkami near Bulawayo.
Because the Anunnaki used to eat our faeces BEFORE they changed to a milk diet, we can safely conclude that the Bambukusho pre-date the Bangwato of Chief Moremi in Ngamiland, i.e. the latter found the former there - Batawana.
Chiefs' names are just a big spin! For instance, if you look at the chieftainship line of Bangwato online, you will find a Chief named Ngwato. But we know there was never such a chief, because Ngwato simply means "Nngwa-Ato", a Kalanga word meaning "a milker for Ato/Anunnaki".
Monday, April 27, 2015
Appointing judges - President's role merely formal!
I am not a lawyer, however I read with interest the article entitled "Framers of the constitution wanted president to appoint judges" by one Bashi Letsididi in the Sunday Standard newspaper of April 19 - 25.
Thankfully the author quoted but unfortunately mis-interpreted, the minutes of the Independence Conference that was held at Malboorough House, London in February 1966. Rre Letsididi quoted a statement by the legal advisor to the UK team that "It was usual for the President to be formally responsible" (for appointing puisne judges). In said statement the significance of the word "formally" was completely ignored by Rre Letsididi. The same word was included in the next quote "The conference agreed that puisne judges should be FORMALLY (my caps) appointed by the president, acting on the advice of the Judicial Services Commission".
In my layman's view, if the framers of the constitution had wanted the president to have discretion as to whether or not to follow the advice of the JSC, they would have had little use for the word "formally" in their discussions/draft, much less in the final agreement.
In my view the final version that is now contained in section 96 of the constitution succintly captures the intention of the framers. The phrase "acting in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Services Commission" provides the intended and necessary content that would have been missing, had the word "formally" and nothing else, been used in the final constitution. In so doing, the phrase does not reduce the "formality" of the president's action; it defines it.
The conclusion I draw is that the framers of our constitution wanted the JSC, and not the president, to exercise discretion in the choice of puisne judges.
Thankfully the author quoted but unfortunately mis-interpreted, the minutes of the Independence Conference that was held at Malboorough House, London in February 1966. Rre Letsididi quoted a statement by the legal advisor to the UK team that "It was usual for the President to be formally responsible" (for appointing puisne judges). In said statement the significance of the word "formally" was completely ignored by Rre Letsididi. The same word was included in the next quote "The conference agreed that puisne judges should be FORMALLY (my caps) appointed by the president, acting on the advice of the Judicial Services Commission".
In my layman's view, if the framers of the constitution had wanted the president to have discretion as to whether or not to follow the advice of the JSC, they would have had little use for the word "formally" in their discussions/draft, much less in the final agreement.
In my view the final version that is now contained in section 96 of the constitution succintly captures the intention of the framers. The phrase "acting in accordance with the advice of the Judicial Services Commission" provides the intended and necessary content that would have been missing, had the word "formally" and nothing else, been used in the final constitution. In so doing, the phrase does not reduce the "formality" of the president's action; it defines it.
The conclusion I draw is that the framers of our constitution wanted the JSC, and not the president, to exercise discretion in the choice of puisne judges.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Constitutional fraud or just contradictions ?
The refusal by President Khama to appoint a judge recommended for appointment by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has further exposed what some have called the fraudulent nature of the document we call our constitution.
Per our constitution the President cannot be sued either in his personal or his official capacity. In other words, while president, he can disregard any sanction that the constitution has on his activities as a citizen of the republic. At the same time, in taking his oath of office he swore to obey, uphold and protect the same document – the constitution. It makes no sense to me.
How do you swear to obey (or uphold) a law that explicitly exempts you from obeying it?
Per our constitution the President cannot be sued either in his personal or his official capacity. In other words, while president, he can disregard any sanction that the constitution has on his activities as a citizen of the republic. At the same time, in taking his oath of office he swore to obey, uphold and protect the same document – the constitution. It makes no sense to me.
How do you swear to obey (or uphold) a law that explicitly exempts you from obeying it?
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Another police helicopter purchase ?
Some time last year, a police helicopter crashed while en-route from the far north west of the country to Maun. The pilot, a new mother, died leaving behind a very young baby. The last we heard about the accident was that investigations into the cause of the accident were ongoing!
Today I just read that the Police are going to use my tax dollars/pulas again to purchase three helicopters. Would the Police be so kind as to tell us if the investigations into the Maun crash have been completed, and if so, where we can read the final report on the cause of the accident. If the investigations are still "ongoing" why splash yet more of our hard-earned tax dollars on equipment that could suffer the same fate as the Maun chopper ?
From newspaper reports at the time of the tragedy it seemed very much like the pilot lady had wished to end her workday and fly back to Maun much earlier than she ended up doing, and crashing in the process. This raises questions about how much control a police helicopter pilot has over the operations of his/her chopper. Police seniority should not be allowed to interfere with an aircraft pilot's absolute right of control over her/his craft. That would be a recipe for disaster!
And so, where is that report?
Today I just read that the Police are going to use my tax dollars/pulas again to purchase three helicopters. Would the Police be so kind as to tell us if the investigations into the Maun crash have been completed, and if so, where we can read the final report on the cause of the accident. If the investigations are still "ongoing" why splash yet more of our hard-earned tax dollars on equipment that could suffer the same fate as the Maun chopper ?
From newspaper reports at the time of the tragedy it seemed very much like the pilot lady had wished to end her workday and fly back to Maun much earlier than she ended up doing, and crashing in the process. This raises questions about how much control a police helicopter pilot has over the operations of his/her chopper. Police seniority should not be allowed to interfere with an aircraft pilot's absolute right of control over her/his craft. That would be a recipe for disaster!
And so, where is that report?
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