Botswana presidential candidate seeks democratic reforms
A Botswana politician and former member of the ruling party, Botswana Democratic Party, Biggie Butale, has called for democratic reforms in his home country, emphasising the need for term limits to ensure true democratic governance.
Butale, who was in Nigeria for a visit made the call in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
According to the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies, Botswana, long regarded as one of Africa’s most stable and enduring multiparty democracies, is gearing up for its general elections scheduled for October 2024.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi will seek re-election as the candidate for the ruling BDP. Despite Botswana’s robust democratic reputation, the BDP has maintained a parliamentary majority since the country’s first post-independence elections in 1969.
Butale nevertheless underscored the potential for Botswana to solidify its democratic culture by ending prolonged one-party rule.
“For a democracy to be true, there should be a rotation of government because if you have one-party rule for 60 years, one would wonder if it is a mature democracy.
“But I believe that Batswana are in a position to change that and solidify our democratic culture,” he stated.
The politician, who is also a presidential candidate of the Botswana Republican Party since 14 November 2023, expressed his pan-Africanist vision, highlighting the significance of unity across the continent.
“I am here in Nigeria; not only am I aspiring to be the President of Botswana, but I am also a pan-Africanist. I believe that if we all hold hands together and walk together, we will all go far.
“I believe that Nigeria holds the key to Africa’s prosperity because it has a critical mass of educated citizens,” he said.
He, however, called on Nigeria to awaken its vast potential to lead Africa into a prosperous future.
The politician described Nigeria as a “sleeping giant” whose untapped potential has far-reaching implications for the entire continent.
“Nigeria is a sleeping giant and until the potentials of the critical mass are harnessed and utilised, it is a sleeping giant and Africa will also sleep along with Nigeria. I believe it takes one person to wake up a sleeping giant,” he said.
Butale emphasised his commitment to supporting Nigeria’s rise.
“For Nigeria to rise, it needs one person and I am coming with this seed to plant it. We need Nigeria to be a modern seed,” he added.
The politician also mentioned Peter Obi, a prominent Nigerian political figure, as a source of inspiration.
“Peter Obi is a good example. I will try and look him up. Wherever he is, he might think he failed. I do not know his face, though. He is an inspiration. I hope he doesn’t think he is a failure. He could try again,” he remarked.
Biggie Butale is a Batswana politician and the current leader of the Botswana Republican Party since 14 November 2023. He previously served as the Member of Parliament for Tati West in the 11th Parliament from 2014 to 2019.
