Kabo Morwaeng has pulled out of the race for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Deputy Secretary General position. Morwaeng was tipped to win the BDP Deputy Secretary General position at the party’s elective congress scheduled for July in Mmadinare but has since had a change of heart in what insiders within the party view as “running away from intimidation by the party’s higher authorities”. Morwaeng was expected to face off with Cabinet Ministers Shaw Kgathi and Philip Makgalemele who are also vying for the same position.
“Morwaeng doesn’t want to be a part of the looming mess that is clearly coming in July”, one of his confidantes told The Telegraph.
The source also said more importantly, Morwaeng is stepping down to allow Botsalo Ntuane a baggage-free campaign as their detractors were now beginning to use their past association with the BDP’s breakaway party, BMD, to de-campaign them. “Both Ntuane and Morwaeng founded the BMD and fellow democrats were now saying electing both of them to run the BDP secretariat would vindicate those who have always maintained that the BMD had left a brain drain in the BDP”, another close associate of Morwaeng said. He too confirmed that Morwaeng was stepping down from the race for fear of stepping on the toes of the party’s higher authorities who seem to have put their weight behind their fellow cabinet ministers.
“It’s a shame what our party has become. How can sitting members of parliament who also double as cabinet ministers want to assume party leadership roles when we have capable people like Morwaeng whose hands are not as full?”, he asked rhetorically. Those who know Morwaeng and Matlhabaphiri’s relationship dynamics say Morwaeng is stepping down because he cannot imagine himself working alongside Matlhabaphiri in the event he is elected party Secretary General. In an interview on Monday afternoon, Morwaeng confirmed his decision to pull out of the race. “Yes I can confirm that I will not be standing for the position of Deputy Secretary General or even that of additional member. I can also confirm that I will not seek re-election as Chairman of BDP Molepolole South constituency this coming weekend”, Morwaeng said.
He said after being urged by party members to stand for the deputy secretary general position, he had to consult extensively and has since decided not to stand. “I wish to thank all those fellow democrats for their vote of confidence in me and want to apologise for not being able to fulfill their humbling request. The fact of the matter is, I am not available for now”, he said without elaborating on his unavailability. He would not be drawn into discussing reasons for his sudden change of heart but only giggled when asked if he has joined Ntuane’s campaign team.
