Failure by government to find a permanent solution to Foot and Mouth outbreak in Ngamiland has become a topic of discussion in every gathering in Maun. Recently, during a Land Board meeting at the main kgotla, Voice

Reporter Daniel Chida found a group of men who had chosen to ignore the meeting to talk about FMD

Black Cap:  What is going on inside the kgotla, I didn’t hear about this meeting, is it BMC people.

Man in red shirt: No they are Land Board officials, they just came without making an announcement and that could be the reason why there are few people inside.

Black Cap: But why are you not inside, maybe they are starting to allocate more plots.

Man with big belly: Ijoo! You think Land Board can call a meeting for that, if there is any land available they would rather keep it for themselves instead.

Red shirt: They are talking about computerising their work. The man is busy using big words and I don’t think those people inside the kgotla understand what he is talking about. When I went in I thought they were from BMC or veterinary because I want to hear about the solution to foot and mouth. I am broke but have cattle which I cannot sell.

Black Cap: Me too, I had expected BMC not Land Board. You know we should be briefed on a weekly basis on what the government is doing with this disease. I thought by now government would have realized that their system is failing us. You cannot keep on spraying people while animals cross from one zone to the other freely.

Big Belly: I wish you could have attended the last meeting and heard how one of the ministers mumbled, those people are failing us. They should mend the fence before spending money on those spraying chemicals.

A young man seating on top of a bonnet who has been listening joins in the conversation.

Young man on bonnet: Next time you will be crying that Land Board did not tell you to apply for land because you don’t attend meetings, the only thing that you are good at is to blame the government. What are you personally doing  to fight foot and mouth?

Big Belly: Who are you talking to? We are not your age mates so don’t talk to us like that.

Red shirt: It is not only about manners, his father died without cattle and he knows nothing about livestock.

Young man: Your livestock is useless because most of the time you are broke, so please stop bragging about useless livestock.

He takes a puff a from his cigarette

Big Belly: Boy what is the matter with you, don’t you have manners or you are inviting lashes.  Why are you directing your smoke to us?

Young man: This is Maun not Mochudi where people can be lashed at any time. Let me advise you, when you get a chance to sell your cattle, just sell all of them and keep your money in the bank.

Red shirt: I know why you are here. (Facing his friends) He is targeting Ipelegeng food. Every day when they eat he comes by and pretends to be helping. He’s such a disgrace. Let’s go before he annoys us.

Red shirt: The fact is that his father died a pauper after selling all his livestock and failed to save a cent for him.

The three men slowly leave the kgotla gate leaving the young man embarrassed and waiting for Ipelegeng food just like they said.

CARTOON-FOR-17-8-2012