“As Batswana we have a disease, I do not know who will heal that disease. We have a disease of scratching where it is not itching. Let us learn to scratch where the itch is. In 2014 when had Duma Boko as the Leader of Opposition. For those five (5) years as the Leader of Opposition, Duma was not sufficiently present in parliament; he was present only for Thirty (30) minutes to an hour, sometimes Two or Two and a half hours. Duma never attended a full parliament session, we had a caucus every Tuesday but he was never there. Ndaba Gaolathe led the caucus, and was always there in parliament. He was acting as the leader of opposition, something that Dumelang Saleshando is currently doing.” Sedirwa Kgoroba revealed.
The former Member of Parliament for Mogoditshane rebuked Boko for acting disorderly as a leader. Kgoroba recalled an incident in which Boko disregarded all the set procedures to welcome the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) into the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in 2016/17. Kgoroba brought to light how Duma Boko turned a deaf ear to other leaders when they tried to advise him on the matter.
In the process of bringing BCP into the UDC, while disregarding the advices from other leaders, including Trade Unions, Boko disappointed many stakeholders to a point where they pulled out of the UDC project.
“After losing elections in 2019, he blamed BCP for his loss. Dumelang Saleshando lost elections in 2014, he never blamed anyone; Ndaba Gaolathe lost elections in 2019, he never blamed anyone; Biggie Butale lost elections in 2019, he never blamed anyone. Who does Duma think he is that he should not lose elections? We all lost elections in South of Dibete, who does Duma think he is that he should be an exception? Whether there was rigging or not, is neither here nor there, but the fact of the matter is that we all lost elections.”
After losing elections, and putting the blame on BCP, Kgoroba says now Boko is trying to kick the BCP out of UDC. According to Sedirwa, Boko is a ruthless dictator who should not be given state power as he will show his true colors once he attains it. Kgoroba further accused Boko of delaying opposition cooperation talks as he is always absent when meetings are supposed to be held.
“If there is a mistake we can do as Batswana, is to take Boko to State House. That we should never do, we should not make that mistake. He is dictating at BNF, he is dictating at UDC, what can stop him from dictating as State President? Dumelang Saleshando is there, Ndaba Gaolathe is there; one of them can lead opposition going towards 2024, but not Boko, NO!”
