UDC PETITIONS MASISI

·         TO STOP INTERFERING IN THE JUDICIARY

·         TO STOP RETRENCHMENTS AT SOEs

·         TO SET INQUIRY ON CORRUPTION

·         TO INTRODUCE UNEMPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE

·         TO STOP ABUSING STATE MEDIA

·         TO RESUSCITATE THE ALL PARTY CONFERENCE

Noting that democracy does not exist because of any ruling party,  but as a result of the whole nation’s efforts and years of commitment; further that Botswana’s democracy and peace are the results of our collective efforts of over five decades, and further noting that it was our people’s strong beliefs through their political, social and religious organizations that our country is where it is today; further noting that it has been our government’s separation of powerS into the executive, legislature and judiciary, as well as the commitment of all political parties to the rule of law and electoral democracy that have nurture and promoted our democracy;

Concerned, however, that developments in our country since President Masisi came to power on 1^st April 2018 are posing a serious threat to our democracy, peace and stability.  Amongst these threats are: the failed transition from the Ian Khama Seretse Khama Presidency to the Masisi’s Presidency,  the deepening and widespread poverty and inequalities in our society with associated high levels of unemployment especially among the youth, low wages, growing retrenchments of workers, high cost of living, intolerable levels of gender-based violence, corruption, lack of free and objective state media which have been turned into BDP’s propaganda tool, state managed harassment of citizens through a pseudo called Museveni, infighting in the different branches of the security service; growing intolerance to opposition by the current government, and above all, President’s recent alleged interference with the Judiciary, as reported by among others Justice Ketlogetswe and Kgosi Mosadi Seboko, noting further that these allegations, in fact, corroborate what the UDC raised post-2019 elections and the Law Society of Botswana in the past few years;