The President: I cannot allow a handful of people to destabilise a national programme intended to benefit all Batswana

March 31st, 2009

Gaborone (Botswana) - There is no doubt that the recent University of Botswana strike, which resulted in vandalism of school property, forcing the institution to close down, was both unnecessary and distasteful.

As a result, the students have been condemned in different sectors of the society. Some of the students who are accused of pioneering the strike are already going through disciplinary hearings.

The outcome is yet to be announced. In his speech at the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) national council, President Ian Khama, sternly condemned the UB strike. He might have gone a little too far with threats that in the future, students who engage in strikes, 'going on the rampage destroying property' will pay heavily.

In his words, the president said that it is extremely selfish for the students to act in this violent manner. He chided the adults who encourage them to strike for issues as lame as the right to be allowed to receive a second sponsorship for courses they 'deliberately failed' bybeing 'irresponsible'.

"I cannot allow a handful of people to destabilise a national programme intended to benefit all Batswana. As such, culprits who engage in such acts will be expelled from any institution and may be denied employment opportunities in the public sector," warned the president.

The president's words are very scary. He does have a point in condemning the strike and vandalism of school property. But isn't the president going a little too far in threatening to give 'the students who may be viewed as perpetrators' a life-time sentence?

Who will this double punishment serve? Expelling and barring these students from employment opportunities in the public sector would be a big mistake. What alternatives would be there for them? And isn't it why there is something called rehabilitation?

Does this mean that for our president, one wrong is enough for someone to be sent to the rubbish bin, never to be seen again, never to have access to the rights that other citizens enjoy?

Many UB students are teenagers who still need to be nurtured and steered in the right direction. Ending their hopes of achieving their ambitions can only lead them to embrace crime as an alternative.

We can only hope that the president was just making a threat to dissuade students from silly and destructive behaviour.

source.Mmegi (Botswana)