President Khama of Botswana Doesn't Know the Value of Independence

Botswana President Ian Khama (left) has been confirmed as the winner of the national elections. He is photographed here with South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, who is also the former interim president.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

Khama doesn’t know the value of independence

EDITOR — Ian Khamas regime appears unperturbed by Zimbabwe’s concern over its wanton violation of our airwaves through beaming pirate radio signals into various parts of the country.

Khama’s spokesperson by the name Jeff Ramsay even had the temerity to say his country was "used to the threats" as if Zimbabwe’s had threatened action against the client state to our Southwest.

Ramsay went on to say there was ‘‘nothing illegal going on’’.

Our concern is genuine because our security is threatened indirectly by the involvement of a third country — the US, where the pirate radio station originates.

That the Voice of America has been on Botswana soil since the 1970s is neither here nor there.

Yes, VOA may have been on Botswana soil since the 70s but there was no special broadcast, which was specifically targeted at Rhodesia, as is the case with Studio 7.

Why were the Americans not attacking the Rhodesian government like they are doing with the black Zimbabwean Government today?

Uncle Sam never attacked the Smith regime because he was getting chrome from Rhodesia for a song.

The attack of Zimbabwe by VOA started after the Government embarked on the land reform programme.

In fact, Studio 7 was meant to shore up the fortunes of the MDC-T.

What Khama is doing is illegal because he is giving succour to our enemies, which makes him an accomplice to their crimes.

Khama is violating both the letter and spirit of Sadc.

Botswana is straying from the values and principles of Sadc.

It wants to create conditions that will make it quit the organisation, never mind that it hosts the organisation’s headquarters.

I don’t know if the US would tolerate it if Al-Jazeera was to beam pro-Bin Laden anti-American broadcasts from Mexico or Cuba.

Imagine how Uncle Sam would react.

No doubt he will call for the removal of President Felipe Calderon of Mexico or Raul Castro of Cuba.

Khama has never made his animosity to President Mugabe a secret, animosity that has been attributed to President Mugabe’s principled stand against issues as diverse as imperialism and same-sex unions.

Khama, it appears, is still hostage to his country’s protectorate mentality.

Having been born in a country that never fought for its independence, but in fact, begged for it, Khama does not know how the gains of a hard-won independence should be protected.

Campion wekwaMereki.

Harare.