Mzwinila fancies Mmadinare comeback
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday June 19, 2023 06:00
With the BDP yet to announce the date of the primary elections, Mzwinila is secretly positioning himself. He has since sponsored the construction of Leobo la Kgotla (traditional meeting area) at the Mmadinare main kgotla and bought 1,000 chairs.
He even invited President Mokgweetsi Masisi to attend these events and now Mzwinila is said to be admired by dikgosi and Mmadinare elders. These donations have given Mzwinila an edge over his opponents as he vies for the Mmadinare parliamentary seat.
Observers say Mzwinila’s moves are a clear indicator that he wants to contest for the party primaries. Asked if he is mounting a comeback, Mzwinila refused to comment on the matter.
Sources closer to the developments in the area say Mzwinila did not just stop at the main kgotla but he has also sponsored the reconstruction of all the smaller wards maobo in the village, together with a donation of 500 chairs each. Reports indicate that the Minister of Lands and Water Affairs will continue with his sustained campaign as he launches maobo in the smaller wards of Matabi, Kelele, Manga, Mosokolo, Seboo and Lehongwane further endearing himself to dikgosi and by extension the voters.
The Mmadinare Constituency BDP’s Branch Secretary Bahumisi Mojewa said they were not in a position to accuse Mzwinila of any wrongdoing. “We have not received any complaints about his charitable work. Maybe that is because people know that he has always been a philanthropist. “Furthermore, campaigns for primary elections have not been sanctioned and we do not know if he will be contesting,” she said. Mojewa said Mzwinila has been working with the constituents even after he lost the primary election in 2018. Mojewa said Molebatsi and Mzwinila’s relationship will not be affected by the charitable work that he (Mzwinila) is doing in the area since it is nothing new.
In addition, she said during the handover of those projects, Molebatsi is usually invited as the guest speaker. Apart from charitable work, she said both Mzwinila and Molebatsi have worked hard in the area to ensure that party structures do not collapse. After losing the BDP primary elections to Molebatsi in 2018, Mzwinila was nominated to parliament by President Masisi and later appointed to the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs.
Contacted for comment, area MP Molebatsi confirmed that it is true that Mzwinila is making some charitable work in the constituency. "I cannot say that he is campaigning because he has been doing that in the area.
There is nothing wrong with anyone helping the constituents. He is from Mmadinare and it is part of his responsibility or a role he wants to do for the residents of that area. He has been active in the area so I am not suspecting anything. Bulela Ditswe has not been announced as yet so I cannot claim that he is doing that as part of his campaign strategy," he said. Molebatsi said he would only know those who are aspirants of that area when submissions of names are done at party level.
He said so far, there is cooperation and unity in the area and he hopes it would be just like that even during primaries. He said he would not know if Mzwinila has an intention to contest. Recently, the BDP Political Education and Elections committee's Alec Seametso said primary elections have not been announced by the party. “If someone has been doing charitable work even before he became a Member Parliament then we should not have a problem with it. Again as the BDP, we have not announced any date of primaries. Unless in a situation where one announces his/her intention. That is when the party or structure could act.
Sometimes people make an issue out of nothing,” Seametso said. He said they warn those who openly campaign to desist from doing that. It is not just in the BDP but Mmadinare will be a huge battleground come next year’s general election with opposition politicians also gunning for the constituency. The latter will face either Mzwinila or Molebatsi.
Outgoing Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) affiliate the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is said to be putting its hope on Sennye Obuseng. With the Alliance for Progressives (AP) contemplating joining the UDC and affiliates presidents getting preference in terms of candidacy, former Gaborone Bonnington South candidate Ketlhalefile Motshegwa is reportedly setting his eyes on his home village of Mmadinare.
Motshegwa, who is also a trade union stalwart and secretary-general (SG) of the Botswana National Front (BNF), fancies his chances in Mmadinare, where he will rely on his well-respected family ties and proximity to royalty.
The Mmadinare constituency, since its inception, has always been a BDP stronghold. This is a constituency that had BDP heavyweight and former Vice President, Ponatshego Kedikilwe as its MP for the longest time.