The occasion of Boitumelo Gofhamodimo’s formal introduction to parliament provided MPs in the Government Bench with an opportunity to take pot shots at an erstwhile colleague of theirs, Unity Dow.
Contrary to what the ancient English believed to be the case, lightning struck twice for Dow. President Ian Khama brought her to parliament as a Specially Elected MP in 2014 and his successor, Mokgweetsi Masisi, retained her after the 2019 general election. While Specially Elected MPs are not officially ruling party MPs, they have always belonged to it and it is Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) MPs who elect them in a special election that only they (elected MPs) can participate in. For that reason, Dow was a blood-red BDP member when she became a Specially Elected MP and BDP MPs voted for her twice on such understanding.
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