Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) interim Chairman, Gomolemo Motswaledi has gone out on a limb, taken a “two to three years” unpaid leave from the University of Botswana to help build party structures and grow its support.
Motswaledi, who disclosed last week that his unpaid leave will take effect from August, is expected to give his time to the BDP splinter party until it is ready for elections in three years.
Motswaledi said the UB policy on partisan political activities by employees constrained him from executing his role as chairman of BMD’s executive committee. He said that in terms of Regulation 1.9 of the policy, he could not occupy the party’s executive position while still a UB employee.
According to the regulation, any UB employee elected to a political office requiring fulltime service is supposed to apply for leave of absence or resign.
“I have decided to be fair to my employer by taking leave without pay,” said Motswaledi.
He said that he did not expect BMD to pay him but would personally find means to support himself.
“I am putting together a financial plan that will allow me to be of sufficient sustenance,” he told The Telegraph.
“Sometimes you have to put yourself out there and allow yourself to swim than be forever protected,” he added.
“The best jiggle is to stay my job with a view of coming back…my principals have a duty to implement this regulation,” he said.
He said the new party will require concentration and coordination of its streams which the interim committee is tasked with coordinating.
Motswaledi said the BMD is interested in establishing a leadership that views itself in a messangerial way.
Motswaledi’s resignation from his full time job at the University of Botswana to concentrate on BMD, is perhaps the first sign that BMD is leaving no stone unturned as they brace themselves for what promises to be a long, protracted and bruising tussle for the hearts and minds of the electorate with the ruling BDP from whence it broke away.
