Gaborone South Member of Parliament, Kagiso Molatlhegi, has not yet come to terms with the defection to the opposition Botswana Movement for Democracy of his obedient and hard working councilor in the constituency. Molatlhegi said while his membership of the ruling party lasted, Oabile Mafunga did not show any signs of resentment to the ruling party policies.
In a dramatic twist of events, Naledi Central councilor Mafunga and Haskins Nkayigwa of Babusi Ward, recently defected to BMD, inflicting a major dent to the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, which has continued to see an exodus of councilors to its splinter party.
“Minus one or two members of the party is a drawback particularly that they would certainly walk away with members of the party. But as to Mafunga, I have not completely lost hope he will come to his senses and rejoin us. We are still pursuing him and hopefully he will come back,” said Molatlhegi, adding that “during his entire days in the party, Mafunga never expressed any displeasure with the BDP policies”.
The same sentiments will, however, not be said about Nkayigwa whom the legislator indicated from the onset he showed signs of waywardness, which would make it easy for him to desert the party.
“During his campaigns, you could sense he was not part of us and, as such, I would not bother much about him,” Molatlhegi argued, adding that the deputy mayor’s departure was a blessing in disguise, particularly that he was bringing instability to a party that is currently busy re-establishing itself following the split.
Formerly the opposition Botswana National Front stronghold, Gaborone South constituency fell into the hands of the ruling BDP after the last general elections.
Molatlhegi is confident of the inroads he has so far achieved in consolidating his constituents since assuming the leading role, boasting, among others, of the developments such as tarred roads and storm drainage in the area.
