Mabaila is UB new party benefactor
Larona Makhaiza | Monday May 15, 2023 06:00
The newly elected secretary-general and public relations officer (PRO) of DSP, Selekanyo Mahube has now revealed the role the suspended Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) member plays in the DSP. Mahube disclosed that Mabaila does not really have much of a role, as he does not hold any position in the party structure.
“The DSP is a union of students on and off campus that are members of the university and that is where Mabaila comes in,” he said. Additionally, Mahube indicated that Mabaila is just a benefactor of the party.
“ Mabaila is a student in the university, a law student, a philanthropist who has been continuously helping students in the university and outside and now he is helping us as our financier,” Mahube explained.
The secretary-general elect revealed that the DSP is the one that approached Mabaila for a helping hand not the other way round. “We went to Mabaila as the union of students to say to Mabaila, may we please have your assistance in this idea that we have of the student movement being DSP by asking for financial aid and he answered our call,” explained Mahube.
In addition Mahube stated that it did not come as surprise to members of the DSP why people jumped to assumptions that Mabaila is the man behind the DSP. “Many people assume that the party is Mabaila’s because he is our financier but in actual fact the party is not his and I think it's best people stop assuming that and note that the party is for the students by the students,” he said. Additionally, Mahube said the ownership lies mainly with students. He further said they want to establish student-centred governance.
One of the core values of the DSP is not being affiliated to any national political party like other parties at the UB. But having Mabaila, who is known to be a BDP politician, seems to be going against the party’s core value. Mahube on the other hand does not seem to think so. “We accept people from different movements, we accept people from different political parties and with Mabaila we are affiliated with him at student level not at political level outside. We do not dispute the fact that he has interest to contest outside as that could be a general narrative,” he said.
Though Mahube said Mabaila is only affiliated to the party at student level and a financier, a question was raised if Mabaila does not influence any decision in the party and Mahube refuted that. “We preach independence of thought and decisions won't be taken for us but one should note that we will always welcome advice from the students including Mabaila but at the end of the day, the decision will lie with us as the DSP,” said Mahube. Mahube explained that Mabaila does not form any part of the elected team nor is he an executive member of the party but just a mere financier.