Botswana National Front’s Duma Boko takes aim at President Mokgweetsi Masisi at the Che Guevara Memorial Lecture

President of Botswana National Front, Duma Boko, who spoke exclusively to SABC News, has taken aim at the leadership of Botswana’s current President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, for what he says is the president’s alleged lack of respect for the judiciary.

The South African Communist Party-organised Che Guevara Memorial Lecture was hosted in Mahikeng in the North West on Saturday.

Boko says since Masisi took the reins from Ian Khama, the state of democracy in Botswana has declined.

Masisi came to power following the victory of the Botswana Democratic Party during the country’s 2018 elections.

Leader of the Botswana National Front Duma Boko says Botswana is no longer the same.

“The current president has captured and weakened all institutions including those which would otherwise provide oversight and accountability on the executive, on himself and his cabinet. He has destroyed [through] corruption and economic crime, he has destroyed the judiciary, which is the latest embarrassment and saga that is going on,” says Boko.

Comrade Duma Gideon Boko, President of the Botswana National Front, presents a message of support at the Che Guevara Lecture held in Mahikeng, North West. pic.twitter.com/W7g27W4YqG

— SACP (@SACP1921) October 8, 2022

Boko says campaigning for Botswana’s 2024 elections has started in earnest.

The opposition party leader has highlighted the lack of access to land and youth unemployment as major issues.

“Out of a population of 2,74 million, we have over 62 000 people on the waiting list to be allocated a small piece of land to build a house or establish a residence. A lot of these people have been on a waiting list for about 25 years. Clearly, there is a systemic failure in ensuring access to land for ordinary people. The second is the rising unemployment, especially youth unemployment in the country and these are things that need to be addressed urgently.”

The party’s National Congress Central Committee and Polit Bureau Member, Alex Mashilo has presented the keynote address at the event.

The memorial lecture was also attended by ambassadors from other communist states including Ambassador Meirin Moreno from Venezuela, Cuban ambassador to South Africa, Enrique Orta Gonzalez as well as Palestine’s ambassador to South Africa Hannan Jarrar.

Communist Party members from Eswatini and Zimbabwe gave addresses at the lecture, as did premier of the North West Province, Bushy Kaobitsa Maape.

(L-R) Ambassadors from Cuba, Palestine and Venezuela at the Che Guevara Lecture held in Mahikeng, North West Province. pic.twitter.com/4KESi09wIm

— SACP (@SACP1921) October 8, 2022

Premier of the North West Province, Comrade Bushy Kaobitsa Maape, making his address at the Che Guevara Lecture held in Mahikeng, North West. pic.twitter.com/DyzEQOrmty

— SACP (@SACP1921) October 8, 2022