There is growing speculation that Member of Parliament for Okavango who recently defected to the Ruling Botswana Democratic Party might be rewarded with a cabinet position at the Ministry of Education.
Government insiders hint at a looming cabinet reshuffle following increase in number of Specially Elected MPs and also the number of cabinet portfolios.
Former Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Member of Parliament for Okavango Bagalatia Arone has defected to the BDP under the still to be fully explained circumstances.
According to BCP delegation led by the party Vice President Kesitegile Gobotswang who were assigned by the party to travel to Okavango constituency to assess the situation post Arone defection, the party remains in a healthy state.
Gobotswang said following the departure of Arone, the party got wind of how he had been enticed. According to Gobotswang the news of how Arone was lured into joining the BDP came from his close friends, relatives and party elders in the constituency.
Bagalatia Arone is said to have told some individuals and friends in the constituency that he was joining the BDP because they successfully facilitated his CEDA loan to buy the HAWK Guest house and upgrade it into a lodge.
“I personally went to see the said lodge and I can confirm that there were lot of activities going on. The contractor was on site. I used the Hawk guest house before and since the last time I used it I realised that serious upgrading was going on,” said Gobotswang.
Arone is said to have told the constituents that he was joining the BDP so that developments can be done in his constituency.
In terms of the process they undertook the BCP delegation led by Gobotswang consulted regional leadership in all the wards in the constituency.
The main task was to determine number of meetings, individuals and group of people addressed by MP Arone and what was communicated to them.
BCP deputy leader also wanted to understand the reaction of those who attended as well as determining whether there were any individuals or group of members of the BCP willing to follow in the footstep of MP Arone.
The only person who jumped ship with Arone is his 2014 general elections campaign manager who is said to have been promised a job in the public service as a driver of the Minister of Education Skills and Development.
Gobotswang said Influential elders of the party were also interviewed.
“I am happy to report that from all the meetings we had, members of the BCP in the area assured us that they were not going to follow Arone to the BDP.”
The constituency committee is mandated to look after the constituency building up to 2019 general elections. BCP is yet to find a replacement that will face Arone in 2019 if he decides to contest in the area.
