Assistant Minister of Local Government, Kentse Rammidi, is consulting his constituency about his position in cabinet.
Rammidi is torn between continuing in cabinet and contesting the position of Secretary General for the ruling Botswana Democratic Party.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Rammidi said he has had a meeting with the President about the matter.
He said at the meeting President Ian Khama reiterated his earlier stance that those holding executive positions in the party should not serve in cabinet at the same time.
“President Khama is very clear that if you are in the party executive you can’t be in cabinet at the same time. He has said I have a choice of being in the party or being in cabinet. All I said to the President is that I have to consult,” said Rammidi.
He said he expects to make a decision immediately after the BDP National Congress billed for March.
During the interview, Rammidi was unwavering in his insistence that there is need for a stronger BDP ahead of the next General Elections in 2014.
“As BDP, we would be in state of denial if we did not accept the fact that BMD posed a serious threat. We still do not know who really makes up the BMD, other than the people in leadership who were a part of us. But it is clear that they have the numbers,” he said.
But why does he think he could be more useful at party rather than Government level?
“I know there are people who hold different views, but I believe elections are won by strong parties,” he said.
He said BDP lost Lobatse in the last elections because the party was badly divided in that constituency.
“Government delivered all that could be delivered in Lobatse. In fact, ahead of the elections, the whole of Lobatse had become a construction site but we went on to lose because of the divisions.”
He said there is already a groundswell of complaints at constituency levels that certain cabinet ministers spend all their time at cabinet.
So far Rammidi has made it clear that he wants Daniel Kwelagobe to continue as Chairman.
He says he views Kwelagobe as the most potent unifying force inside the BDP.
“It would be suicidal to dispose of Kwelagobe. This is going to be the first election since the split and what we need most is confidence building. And who better to do it than Kwelagobe? If Kwelagobe had left with those that broke away, BDP would be in serious trouble today.”
