Africa-Press – Botswana. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has remained decidedly silent on the ‘cyberbullying’ former minister and Specially Elected Member of Parliament (MP) Unity Dow is experiencing on Facebook from political whistleblower, France Museveni.
The latter has repeatedly accused Dow and other prominent political figures of corruption. She insists that she is essentially unfettered by the accusations made by Museveni, Dow did, however, express that the ambivalence of the government and BDP towards her cyberbullying is disconcerting, to say the least. The allegations made by Museveni against Dow have been reported to the Vice President, the Minister of Defence and Security, the Commissioner of Police, the Chief of Staff and the Permanent Secretary to the President to no avail, as all have simply referred Dow to take the matter up with the police. Heeding their advice, Dow took the matter to the police to which she was requested to not publicly discuss matters relating to the investigations as it may hinder the investigative process.
However, to date, no legal action has been instituted against Museveni. Dow has expressed that she is under the general impression that Museveni is not just a random political agitator on Facebook, but rather a syndicate of protected individuals tasked with tarnishing her name. “No one with the power and authority to protect me can claim not to be aware of the bullying, harassment and defamation directed at me.
There was even a declaration on Facebook by one individual close enough to the BDP leadership to know the truth that Museveni is protected,” stated Dow in a press conference regarding Museveni’s allegations.
Dow added that the President, director-general of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) and more have been repeatedly tagged in Facebook posts from Museveni, but no response has been issued from them regarding the account’s conduct.
It was further included that Dow has been in direct contact with Museveni over Messenger, to which he offered a phone number for them to communicate on where different people with different voices would answer the phone, leading Dow to believe that Museveni is with a group of people rather than a single person as the account portrays itself to be.
Hiding behind a false name, and a profile picture of Ugandan businessman Hamis Kiggundu, which claims to have exclusive access to investigative records, Dow holds a growing suspicion that the account may have a group associated with the DIS or even the DIS itself, behind it. Dow openly pondered: “If indeed France Museveni has access to investigation records, there can only be four possible explanations. The first is that they stole the records. The second is that they bought the records.
The third is that they were gifted the records.
The fourth is that they work at the DIS. Any one of these possibilities should keep you awake at night”. Museveni is most famous for allegedly exposing corruption within the circles of the BDP, claiming to have access to confidential government information that implicates prominent political figures in financial corruption scandals amounting to millions of pula. In the case of Dow, Museveni has accused her of scheming with disgruntled former ministers in a faction dubbed ‘The Crocodiles’ to oust Masisi from not only the presidency but the BDP as a whole.
It was alleged that members of The Crocodiles would convene in Ntefo Guest House, which is owned by Dow herself in Rasesa. It was further alleged that the discussions that happened in the guest house floated around ensuring a certain individual in Parliament becomes President to protect their ill-gotten assets and that they ensure the appointment of other individuals to executive and judicial positions to further bolster their position.
Dow claims to have only ever heard of The Crocodiles from Museveni’s Facebook posts, and that all of his information has no factual backing or evidence. Museveni’s allegations also went to allude to Dow carrying out shady deals with Limkokwing University and the Civil Aviation Authority, of which Dow similarly contends there is no evidence, but in her own assertion, “even if there was evidence it is unacceptable for our democracy to allow a ‘trial by Facebook’ to continue”.
Dow’s critical nature of the BDP has led her to believe that she is being targeted for that exact reason, which would lend itself to explaining the seemingly complicit demeanour of the government regarding her case.
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