A well known and long time activist of the Botswana Democratic Party, Olebeng Ngwakwena has said he is taking an indefinite sabbatical leave from active politics.
Talking to The Telegraph on Monday, Ngwakwena said he wants to focus all his energy on practicing law.
He has recently graduated with a law degree from the University of South Africa. That degree, he said is for him a dream come true.
Speaking excitedly about his new found love for law, Ngwakwena said he has long wanted to be a lawyer.
He will be doing his articles under the tutelage of Sadique Kebonang who is the Assistant Minister of Trade.
“I am now over 50 years old. This is a new lease in my life. With my law degree I feel like I am opening a totally new chapter in my life. I consider politics history. I cannot undo my history, but partisan politics is something I have decided to put behind me.”
He said he would however not be resigning from the BDP ÔÇô at least not for now.
Will he be available if asked to come and assist his beleaguered party?
“My answer is that the BDP would have to look elsewhere if they need any assistance. I am taking a long leave from politics. I have made up my mind,” he said.
He said his decision has nothing to do with the way he was treated at a recent BDP Congress where he was forced on the eleventh hour to withdraw from the race of BDP Secretary General.
“My interest as we speak is that people should see me as a new born, free from the historical baggage of politics. My future is in justice for all, regardless of political affiliation,” said Ngwakwena.
A regular caller for many radio phone-in programs, Ngwakwena said he will not be participating in such platforms any more.
“Rest assured, you will not be hearing my voice again on radio. Those days are gone. I have played my part and it is time for others to take up where I left.”
A fierce critic of the private media when he was defending the BDP on radio, he says he will now switch roles and attempt to become a media lawyer.
“My passion is the rule of law, with particular emphasis on constitutional and the media law. I want to become champion of media legal rights.”
He however said he does not regret his many frequent and often ferocious past spats with the media.
“From where I am standing I did nothing wrong. I was assigned to defend the BDP and I did that to the best of my ability. People say I defended what often seemed indefensible. I beg to differ. My conscience is clean. What I did was in a small way to contribute to the public discourse in this country.”
Does he not, together with his like-minded ilk who were always on radio ranting against the media and opposition not consider himself part of the cause for all the troubles bedeviling the BDP today?
On that one, Ngwakwena is remorseless.
“It would be wrong to say I am responsible for any of the troubles at the BDP today. I was a foot soldier. I just did the job that I was given. I am proud in that I contributed to public debates, but for me that is all history now. All my focus is on law,” said Ngwakwena with some sense of pride.
