The Real Alternative Party (RAP), has responded to the State of the Nation Address (SONA). In the response penned by the Chairman of the party, Gaontebale Mokgosi, RAP is not pleased with Masisi’s address.
RAP has focused on nine (9) points while responding to SONA, the following are top three (3);
- On Government`s Response To COVID-19 Crisis
According to RAP, Masisi`s response to the pandemic failed to be rational enough to offer a moment of opportunity with justiciable economic measures that would be unthinkable in normal times because the hit of COVID-19, not only wiped out in mere weeks more jobs but also produced the anger and fear that loss of jobs produces. “At heart, the speech lacks awareness and political will of the need to provide strategic or step-by-step guidance to overcome poverty, mass chronic unemployment, gender violence and the wild spread of substance abuse. ” observed Mokgosi. Further, Mokgosi is of the view that SONA does not make any provision for an appreciation of the COVID-19 disaster management measures undertaken by Botswana government, despite the pandemic gravity and drastic effect on access to livelihoods, especially for the economically vulnerable groups as well as its cause mortality.
- On Gender equality:
“Regarding gender equality, our humble submission is that politics must display and address inequalities between women who hold different statuses and structural disadvantages brought about by the structural oppressions and power difference of patriarchy and market fundamentalism of BDP politics.” RAP submitted. The party views it as counterproductive to claim to uplift representation of women throughout the economy based on a moral perspective that does not have the same consequence for every woman but serves to significantly strengthen the perception of the existing unequal political and social power relations.
- On Combatting Gender based Violence:
RAP believes that there is need to protect women from massive unemployment and increasing gender inequality as gender violence is rooted in gender inequality, the abuse of power and harmful norms. The party calls for the introduction of children social grant, increase and expedite access to property and land ownership for both women and men so as to balance power dynamics in gender relations.
