The search for the late Gomolemo Motswaledi, BMD president and UDC secretary general, extends to a prospective UDC vice president in the event the umbrella coalition wins the October general election.
It would be grossly unfair at this early stage to ask both the BMD and UDC what measures they have in place to replace Motswaledi in the dual roles he played in the symbiotic political formations.
The sad reality is that like all Batswana, they are still mourning the passing on of their legendary leader who was laid to rest last Friday in his home village of Serowe.
Motswaledi died in a freak car accident on the A1 highway between Ramatlabama border post and Pitsane village on July 30.
His untimely death is still a subject of investigation by both the state and private investigators engaged by his two political formations.
It is not clear whether Motswaledi genuinely died from the car accident or was assassinated before being dumped in his Audi 3 sedan in some cover-up. Since his death, conspiracy theories are swirling pending release of any formal investigation reports.
Suspicion abounds that Motswaledi was assassinated and the car accident only stage-managed to conceal the true cause of death.
His death has little doubt left a void in both the BMD and UDC that sooner or later will have to be filled. The succession question inevitably arises.
The BMD was formed in 2010 as a splinter party from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) following Motswaledi’s fall out with President Ian Khama. Motswaledi had been elected BDP secretary general at a tumultuous BDP national elective congress in Kanye alongside his Barata Phathi compatriots.
Khama arbitrarily appointed additional national executive committee members, a move that riled the winners. As secretary general, Motswaledi challenged Khama in a bitter wrangle that culminated into his suspension.
Not one to be outdone, he mounted a legal challenge against Khama. A courtroom tussle was not to be, however. Motswaledi lost with costs at both the High Court and Court of Appeal where it was held that the president enjoyed presidential immunity in both his personal and official capacities.
Motswaledi was left saddled with huge legal costs and subsequently threatened with civil imprisonment. In a show of compassion, the general public across the political divide pumped in donations to liquidate the bills and rescue the embattled young democrat.
After forming the BMD as interim chairman, he was later elected to the party’s presidency. The BMD subsequently joined the rest of the opposition parties in a bid to form an opposition coalition. The project was named the Umbrella for Democratic Change.
A disagreement on constituency allocations led to the collapse of the Umbrella talks in 2011. The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) did not participate in the second round of the talks after its members rejected BMD inclusion. However, the Botswana National Front, BMD and Botswana Peoples Party forged ahead with the project.
At the BMD elective congress, Motswaledi was elected president, trumping Advocate Sidney Pilane who later left active politics. Other prominent founders of the BMD eventually retraced their steps back to the BDP.
Motswaledi’s demise has opened a new chapter wherein the BMD has to choose a new president. Obviously as this is an election year, the party may not be in a hurry to elect Motswaledi’s successor.
It also remains to be seen whether UDC will be able field a candidate in Gaborone Central constituency where Motswaledi was to lock horns with BCP president Dumelang Saleshando and the BDP’s Rupert Hambira in the upcoming October general election. The presumption is that it may be too late for them to field a candidate.
When the BMD goes to its next elective national congress, it will have to elect a new president. The larger question is: Who will replace Motswaledi as the next leader to captain the ship?
Some within the party are already looking at Ndaba Gaolathe to fill the void. Their view is that he should become Motswaledi’s natural successor. This is so because even when Khama slapped Motswaledi with suspension and recalled him from contesting the 2009 election on the BDP ticket in Gaborone Central, Gaolathe never abandoned Motswaledi He stood by him all the way until the BMD was formed.
Gaolathe has always been in the forefront fighting the course with Motswaledi. When most BMD founders jumped ship and retraced their steps back to the BDP, Gaolathe steadfastly stayed the course. He has been instrumental and maintained a principled stand even at the time when other BMD members were against the umbrella project.
A political analyst, who preferred not to be named, argues that Gaolathe is the natural successor.
“He is one of the most intellectually endowed within the BMD. He is cool and collected and would definitely make a good president of the party. There is no reason why he should not succeed Motswaledi’s as BMD next president. He is a man of substance hence his appointment to the post of policy director within the UDC. He can easily steer the party out of stormy water,” the analyst says.
The analyst said a potential candidate for the BMD presidency is Nehemiah Modubule. “Remember Modubule ditched his socialist inclination for the moderate BMD. He has excelled politically and is instrumental in shaping the country’s political landscape. As chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, he has done exceptionally well. He is a grassroots politician who can stand the test of time. I don’t doubt his capability politically. The bigger question is whether he has managed to endear himself to the rank and file of the BMD. If he has, then my bet would be between him and Ndaba,” posited the analyst.
The analyst holds the view further that in the event the umbrella coalition wins the general election, Modubule would qualify as the UDC vice president and maintains that the Lobatse legislator has traversed the country’s political terrain. As such that he understands the dynamics of the down trodden masses.
“Make no mistake, he fits the bill. He is comparable to the likes of the late Maitshwarelo Dabutha and Sam Kavindama as well as BCP’s Gilson Saleshando. He is consistent in his analogy of political events. One just hopes the gap left by Motswaledi will open unnecessary heckling within the BMD and its UDC partners. Modubule can easily reign in Boko. That is definitely the kind of vice president this country needs,” he said emphatically.
On the position of the UDC secretary general, the analyst prefers Wynter Mmolotsi. Currently Mmolotsi is the BMD secretary general. In the political analyst’s view, Mmolotsi has performed exceptionally well as BMD secretary general.
“He is still young and energetic although too radical at times. He can travel the length and breadth of the country selling the party as well as the umbrella coalition. Mmolotsi is maturing politically makes a good candidate for the position,” he says.
“One only hopes that other umbrella partners would not feel sidelined if Module ascends to the UDC vice presidency and Mmolotsi to secretary general. For the long term viability of the project, the two gentlemen (Modubule and Mmolotsi) should be given a chance.
“However, they should not overstay and the umbrella coalition should start initiating grooming potential successors. Motswaledi’s death should be a wake-up call not only to the BMD and UDC but the entire country political landscape,” said the analyst maintaining that unexpected voids could derail any political formation.
