Former cabinet minister and also Botswana Democratic Party Secretary General, Jacob Nkate says he is dismayed that Vice President and Chairman of the BDP, Mokgweetsi Masisi has not had the courtesy to call him to a meeting before he was removed from the slate preparing for elective congress due in July.
Up until this week, Nkate was listed as candidate for position of secretary General for the Masisi camp.
But this week, he received a call from Mpho Balopi; a key Masisi ally informing him that Masisi was no longer interested in keeping him [Nkate] in the lobby list.
“I was not given the reason but I can only deduce that by expressing my ambition to become President of this country, that did not sit down well with the Vice President.”
Nkate said it was unfortunate that the BDP is no longer the party it used to be where people could express their ambitions without annoying those in leadership positions.
He said the culture is new and alien to the BDP.
In an interview with Sunday Standard, Nkate said he would be meeting his team to review his options.
“I will take it from there. One thing though is clear; I have been receiving calls telling me that it was a mistake on my part to even have associated with that group. With hindsight I agree,” said Nkate.
He said he joined Masisi’s team because he thought first for the country and for the party, hoping something could still be salvaged.
As it turns, he was wrong.
