Zimbabwe, Nov 18 — Botswana President yesterday flew to Victorial falls, Zimbabwe to join other SADC head of states to commemorate Regional World Children’s Day. In his message to the children, President Duma said: Oh, what a joy! What a blessing it is to be in the presence of brilliance and the pure beauty of these children. I sat and listened attentively to our children. They spoke eloquently, they spoke passionately, and they spoke with striking clarity. They placed before us their demands, their expectations. They handed to us their dreams, their hopes, their pleas, and their reflections on the present. They defined, in no uncertain terms, a future that is different from what they are experiencing today. They spoke to me, they spoke to my heart. I must say here and now, I agree entirely with everything they said.
With that, I solemnly declare and pledge to you today that your demands and aspirations shall be mine to carry out, mine to carry out with you. I know you make these demands because you feel that we have fallen short. Indeed, we have fallen short. We may have tried, but perhaps you feel some exasperation that we didn’t try hard enough. I pledge to you today that we will intensify all efforts to meet and satisfy the demands and expectations you have set for us today. As we work towards achieving your aspirations, I hope you will be there with us.
When I spoke to the young lady from Botswana, my President. A young lady of amazing eloquence and wondrous brilliance, I said to her: I will make myself available. Anytime she wants to engage, talk, and meet with me, I will avail myself.
And to all of you, especially those from Botswana, you always say it, and you should always say it, say it loudly each time we meet: “That’s my boy.” Because I am indeed your boy, ready to carry out these demands and aspirations, ready to work with you.
Photo: BW Presidency
