In a political season defined by rising temperatures and lowering standards, a peculiar quiet has settled over the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. While the political arena descends into a cacophony of hate speech, digital misinformation, and partisan mudslinging, the voice of Dumelang Saleshando—usually one of the sharpest in the room—is conspicuously missing.
The past weeks have seen the political discourse in Botswana hit a new low. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), struggling to find its footing after its historic defeat, has turned the Gaborone Bus Rank into a theatre of vitriol. At their recent rally, what should have been a platform for constructive opposition descended into unfortunate remarks and unchecked hate speech. The BDP leadership, seemingly unconcerned with decorum, launched personal attacks that bordered on incitement, poisoning the public well.
Yet, from the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) leader and official Leader of the Opposition, there was no condemnation. No call for civility. No demand for retraction.
The “Mmaotho” Factor
Perhaps more concerning for Saleshando is the fire raging in his own backyard. Mmaotho Segotso, the BCP’s fiery activist known for her “iron lady” persona on social media, has arguably become a liability to the party’s image of discipline.
Mmaotho has been operating with a seemingly blank cheque, unleashing unchecked rhetoric on Facebook that often blurs the line between robust activism and partisan toxicity. While she is celebrated by some for “speaking her mind,” her recent volleys have contributed to the very culture of intolerance Saleshando once vowed to fight. When a senior party member becomes a primary source of polarization, leadership requires intervention. Yet, Saleshando has neither publicly called his member to order nor clarified if her views represent the official stance of the BCP.
The Misinformation Machine
Compounding this toxicity is the rampant spread of fake news. Facebook feeds have been inundated with fabricated stories and manipulated narratives designed to deepen the divide between the UDC government, the BCP, and the BDP. This digital warfare is not just a nuisance; it is a threat to the stability of the nation’s democracy.
In times of moral crisis, the public looks to the Leader of the Opposition not just to oppose the government of the day, but to defend the integrity of the democratic process. Saleshando’s silence on the weaponisation of falsehoods implies a tacit acceptance of this “new normal.”
A Strategic Silence or a Loss of Control?
Political analysts are left asking: Is this silence strategic, or is it a symptom of a leader overwhelmed?
By remaining quiet on the BDP’s bus rank outbursts, Saleshando may be hoping to let his rivals destroy themselves. By ignoring Mmaotho’s excesses, he may be trying to avoid alienating his party’s radical base. But leadership is not about convenience; it is about courage.
The silence is loud, Mr Saleshando. The nation is waiting for you to call your house to order and to condemn the pollution of our national discourse, regardless of who is spewing it. If the Leader of the Opposition cannot oppose hate speech, what exactly does he stand for?
