Once-banned Malema mends relations with Botswana government, attends inauguration

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema made his first trip to Botswana on Friday after 13 years of being banned from entering the country.

Malema attended the inauguration of the country’s new president Duma Boko.

Boko, who is a member of the Umbrell for Democratic Change (UDC), reportedly removed travel restrictions on Malema, former EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu and Patrice Motsepe’s sister, Brigette Radebe.

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In an interview with SABC News on Friday morning Malema said he was happy to be back in Botswana.

“We are here to celebrate democracy in action in Botswana. There is no other issue that is happening in South Africa that can destabilise the organisation from coming to observe this moment.”

Malema described his proximity with the current President of Botswana.

“We have gone through the trenches together and we are not going to miss this opportunity.”

Why Malema was banned from Botswana

Malema was prohibited from entering Botswana after he criticized the ruling party at the time led by president Ian Khama.

He threatened to unite all opposition forces in Botswana to topple the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). who he described as “puppets.”

His remark on Botswana is among several reasons used to expel him from the ANC in 2012.

Message from the South African government

Deputy president Paul Mashatile was also at Boko’s inauguration and said he was pleased with how Botswana had conducted their elections.

“We are very happy that the elections have gone very well in Botswana. Today they will inaugurate their new president and we [are] looking forward to working with them,” Mashatile said.

An example of democracy at work

In his first speech after being inaugurated, Boko told his supporters and the nation of Botswana that his country was an example of a working democracy.

“We have yet again become an intriguing and instructive case study of democracy at work not in abstraction,” he said.

Boko said Botswana’s democracy had been tested because the country has a new party in charge for the first time in 34 years.

“The world watches in eagerness ready to see how the story of this beautiful country progresses.”

Political commentator from the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public & International Affairs said Boko’s leadership will be tested on how he ensures the prosperity of the people of Botswana.

“The question is what is he bringing to Botswana and how will he change the lives of the people in that country,” he said.

Mantula said the previous Botswana regime was removed by what he described as the “youth quake.”

He said like other parts of the Southern African region young voters were coming in and this creates a challenge for the older parties.

“The youth population crippled the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP),” he said.

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