When it became certain that President Ian Khama would vacate the Serowe North West Constituency for State House, BDP activist and flamboyant orator and debater, Gomolemo Motswaledi, immediately declared his interest for the constituency.
Other party activists also declared their willingness to represent the people of Serowe North West Constituency in Parliament, but the ‘owner’ of the constituency made it known that his younger brother would be inheriting the constituency.
Despite his younger brother being a political novice and a virtual ‘foreigner’ in Serowe, his all round powerful older brother ensured that Tshekedi Khama had a safe passage to Parliament by publicly eliminating internal challengers.
Motswaledi was coerced to relocate to Gaborone Central to challenge the incumbent Dumelang Saleshando in this year’s General Election. Now this battle for Gaborone Central is pitting two luminous politicians against each other.
I am certain that if most Batswana were to have it their way, they would ensure that both the two great gentlemen of modern politics had a safe journey to Parliament. But the reality is that the contest should produce one winner, by hook or crook. Thus, the people of Gaborone Central are presented with a difficult and embarrassing task of having to choose between equals.
The incumbent MP has proved his worth and his performances have been beyond the confines of mediocrity. On a yearly basis, the MP comes out tops. He hardly misses Parliament sessions and does not attend to merely register for the sitting allowance. He is disciplined in the use of time – President Khama’s first choice attribute of a worthy person. His contributions are intelligent, well-researched, captivating and credible. The MP has thus stood the test of time.
On the other hand, Gomolemo Motswaledi comes out as a clinical schemer and an erudite handyman. Having shared a class with him at the UB years gone, it is in my knowledge that Motswaledi is not an intellectual lightweight. He boasts of immense public speaking and debating skills and is a people’s person with a modest lifestyle that enables him to relate well with ordinary people.
Over the years, he has established himself as a politician with an independent mind, a rare breed within the BDP community. While the majority of BDP youths opted to curry favour with His Royal Highness, President Khama, Motswaledi allowed himself to float above petty senseless squabbles occasioned by the BDP factions and allowed himself to see things beyond his stomach.
Whereas he may have failed to distance himself from allegiance to one or the other of the prominent factions, he nevertheless has not allowed factionalism to contaminate his intellectual faculty. For the record, Motswaledi is one of the few BDP gurus who are willing to comment on issues of national significance without being inhibited by rabid fear or careless love for President Khama. Unlike the majority who wait for President Khama to sneeze before they do it or those who cannot challenge his thoughts and actions however absurd, Motswaledi has on many occasions demonstrated that he is not beholden to President Khama. The BDP members seem to have been fed a substance that makes them see only the good in President Khama.
In the face of this tragic occurrence, our only hope lies with a few chaps particularly within the BDP who can, from time to time, tell President Khama to his face that his leadership style is abhorable and stinking, people who can occasionally put the interests of the nation before their personal preferences. Politicians of this caliber are an endangered species whom we need to protect and nurture, by giving them the necessary platform to speak for our democratic tradition. This is in spite of the fact that once they are elected into political office through the BDP ticket, they are expected to abide by the decisions of the party caucus, which are in effect President Khama’s preferences.
Those whose consciences would not allow them to toe the line risk being embarrassed in public.
Consequently, it is without doubt that the intelligent and outspoken Motswaledi is likely to just become another numb and dumb MP once given the license to Parliament because he is unlikely to speak against his Majesty. This is tragic because we need the real Motswaledi to go to Parliament but then we know we cannot have him because President Khama’s caucus is going to prevail on him and declare him dead from the neck upward.
Under no circumstances should voters sacrifice Saleshando for Motswaledi.
Saleshando has proved himself and is never constricted by allegiance to king Khama in his contributions in Parliament. He may not necessarily be a better candidate than Motswaledi in terms of capability but his main advantage over Motswaledi is that he is outside of the BDP family which is notorious for gagging its own children especially those who are intellectually gifted and debate issues objectively.
Saleshando’s biggest strength is that he is not threatened by the environment.
Since we also need Motswaledi to occasionally let fly at President Khama the magician, though it would be followed by a public reprimand and perhaps a Pono Moatlhodi sobbing style of admission of guilt and a plea for pardon, it is clear that we need both chaps in Parliament if we harbour any slim hopes of rescuing our democracy. Please note that I am more interested in people who can speak for our democracy with such monotonous regularity as to awaken the rest of the citizenry to the stark reality that we are in danger of sliding into constitutional dictatorship.
But Gaborone Central can only sponsor one candidate to Parliament as their representative. How then do we maneuver out of this dilemma? How do we accommodate both of them?
It has been argued by the BDP that the provision of specially elected MPs is meant to co-opt people with specialized skills into Parliament. Motswaledi and Saleshando would naturally qualify for this dispensation on account of their rare capabilities and personal attributes. But in the entire history of this provision, only BDP members have benefited from it. Thus, Saleshando’s chances as a possible beneficiary of this arrangement are nil, that is if he were to lose to Motswaledi. Motswaledi stands a chance, at least by virtue of his membership of the BDP.
Since we are saying we desperately need both guys in Parliament and since it is concluded that Saleshando has a zero chance for consideration for the provision of special election to Parliament, we need to make Saleshando our number one priority at the polls. The people of Gaborone Central should give their all support to Saleshando, irrespective of party affiliation to ensure his safe passage. Since the BDP, and the nation at large, have faith in Motswaledi’s abilities and need him in Parliament, his name shall be forwarded to the state President for consideration for special election on account of his specialized skills. It is sad and painful that I am compelled to urge Gaborone Central voters not to vote for Motswaledi on the basis that Saleshando’s presence in Parliament is an absolute necessity. Motswaledi is thus a victim of circumstances, though he has a second chance to enter Parliament through the special dispensation. I am sure even the opposition MPs in Parliament, including Saleshando, would readily endorse Motswaledi’s nomination were he to allow himself to be defeated and pave the way for the incumbent, since he is most likely to add to their reluctant voices through his sustained bravery. His Presence in Parliament would certainly add value to Parliamentary deliberations but he should not be allowed to topple the fearless Saleshando. This game plan will also be an acid test for the real reasons for the provision for Specially Elected MPs. If voters settle for Saleshando (without rejecting Motswaledi), and the BDP decides not to nominate him for the special provision in preference for a street poet or some dumb souls, then we shall all know its true intentions; not that we presently do not know anyway.
This stratagem could be replicated in constituencies in a similar dilemma.
