Tumotumo guns for BCP-BPF coalition
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday February 13, 2023 06:00
In this interview, Tumotumo was nostalgic as he reminisced about the formative days of the political outfit that until recently he served with all his heart-the BPF. He is one of the supporters of former president Khama who regularly even adorned the black T-shirts boldly inscribed: “Eseng mo go kgosikgolo (Leave our paramount chief alone).”
This was the period before the BPF chose sunrise yellow as its colour of choice and for the purposes of the elections. At the formative stages of the BPF, Tumotumo most of the time sat at the top table at the show grounds in Serowe as he had just jumped ship from the BCP to start a new life at the Khama-inspired political party.
He would later rise to become the BPF regional chairperson in the Central region. “I am a BCP cadre, but Khama is my chief and anytime I give him my respect and love. People should not be confused about this,” said Tumotumo.
His explanation about his return to the BCP is that he couldn’t stand Samson Moyo Guma’s arrogance since his return to the country and appearance at the BPF.
Guma is formerly ruling party operative until he apparently fell out with the party leadership. He was previously in self-imposed exile in South Africa. A year or so ago, Guma escaped the country to the neighbouring South Africa claiming that his life was in danger.
Upon his return, he expressed his desire to take over the leadership of the BPF. “Guma didn’t show any respect to the BPF leadership as he simply calls the shots and has been sowing seeds of confusion in the leadership,” Tumotumo said this week. He describes Guma as a reckless and divisive politician. Just as he was one of the founding party members who soiled their hands to ensure that things came together at the inception of a new party, he was part of the people who blocked or forced the postponement of an elective congress meant to usher in a new leadership.
Those against the elective congress were convinced that the process was hijacked by people in his opinion who did not deserve to take over. “My background is such that I was from the BCP whilst others were from the ruling BDP.
I remember, when I consulted with TK (Tshekedi Khama) former president’s younger brother, whom I had communicated that at last the only solution to former president’s troubles with his successor President Mokgweetsi Masisi left us with a compelling case to form a new party.” At the time, our conviction was that Khama, former president, was suited to lead a new party so that it could be impactful as during his term as State president he was impactful.
Tumotumo at the time had to quit the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) because he was not agreeable to the notion of coalition partnership. Now, about a month or two ago, the Palapye-based politician found himself battling with reality of having to quit the party that he contributed all he could to put together. He quips: “The BPF is no longer a peaceful party.
There is a faction that doesn’t give Khama (Ian) rest. They have been pushing him too hard over petty issues particularly the divisive Guma.” He is worried that the plan to push out has divided the BPF so much that people like myself and others have opted out of the party so that we can have peace with ourselves. Tumotumo is of the conviction that either Ian or TK can stabilise the party because of their popularity and leadership prowess. He also left the BPF because in his view, the party was failing to resolve internal problems dogging it lately and hence a push from the ordinary members who want the party given back to the Khamas to lead.
In his view, Khama (Ian) in the beginning was reluctant to lead the BPF, but for now, he is willing to lead the party in the 2024 General Election. In his prediction, if his former party, the BPF could finally join the UDC, it will not perform well but prefers a unity of the BPF and the BCP indicating that both parties are very strong in the north and have further potential to attract more people to their fold. Tumotumo’s concerns about the UDC are that it has’ undemocratic’ tendencies when dealing with other parties.
“The BDP will not stand the challenge of a possible BCP-BPF union because the two parties are widely followed across the country and with their known internal democracies people might fall for them,” he wished. He sees the UDC as a stumbling block to opposition victory.
On the other hand, the UDC poses as an opportunity for opposition parties to come together and give elusive power to the people. Guma explained in a separate interview this week that he was vying for the BPF presidency as his democratic right.
He has a desire to take the BPF to greater heights and he strongly feels he has the wherewithal. Guma is aware of accusations of divisions and causing instability in the BPF levelled against him, charges which he has brushed aside as not making sense to him. (See Guma interview).