Tambula throws his hat in the race for F/town-West
Edward Mpoloka | Tuesday October 22, 2013 17:33
At the time, he was reacting to speculation that he would represent the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in the impending by-election following the, just over a month, death of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Tshelang Masisi.
For good measure, 62-year old Tambula added that somebody “younger and energetic” was available for nomination. As things stand, his “younger and energetic” comrade is not available and the ‘reluctant’ candidate is left with no choice but to fill the void.
Asked whether he is indeed a reluctant candidate, Tambula replies: “Before the by-election, I had an interest in standing but deferred to a colleague.”
It appears the colleague has deferred to him in turn. Unconfirmed reports say that, the ‘colleague,’ a BPP firebrand and former official of the party, would only stand if the UDC symbol, and not the BPP’s, were used.
This left him with no choice but to “throw my hat in” for the constituency by-election. The BPP, for which Tambula is secretary general, is a partner in the UDC, a coalition of opposition parties that includes the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).
Tambula, a greenhorn in active politics, is unfazed by the fact that in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) candidates, he is going to face hardened campaigners. He believes he has what it takes to face the best from his opposition.
Born to BPP parents, he grew up in Francistown. “My father worked in South Africa where he supported the African National Congress (ANC). His politics influenced us. Besides, the BPP was very vocal in Francistown against various forms of injustice resulting from racism before independence.
“We used to witness protests and demonstrations here led by the BPP against racist laws. For example, the party had issues with the racist liquor regulations which sought to protect the commercial interests of the white-owned Tati Company by disallowing blacks from selling liquor,” the former educationist remembers.
Because the whole of southern Africa was engulfed in the liberation struggle against white minority racist and capitalist regimes, Francistown became the crucible of liberation politics as it hosted refugees from all over the region, including from what is modern-day Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique and South Africa, among other places.
“Even as children, our interaction with these people influenced our outlook. My activism in politics was discontinued when I became a government employee,” he says.
Even as a public servant, Tambula remained a staunch member of the BPP and clandestinely caucused with the BPP leadership. “I used to meet with people like Kenneth Nkhwa, Petrus Podiephatshwa and Motlatsi Molapise secretly to share ideas,” he confesses with a straight face.
Asked why he did not join the BDP upon retirement as is the norm with people of his status, he says as a believer in justice, he would have no place in the ruling party.
“For example, while I believe in unity in diversity where all cultures and languages are promoted, the BDP does not. If I had joined the BDP, I would most probably be living better with all the money and attendant comfort, but my commitment to social justice supersedes personal interests,” he declares.
Tambula spends sleepless nights over the problem of waste management in the city generally, but particularly in Francistown-West.
“If elected, I will not only address the issue of open dumping but will spearhead a progressive national policy on waste management. We need to benchmark and come up with a national policy that will achieve zero littering,” he adds.
Nor is the former teacher, a Masters Degree holder in educational leadership from the United States who rose to become deputy director of education, happy with the welfare of students in the constituency.
“Because there is no secondary school in Gerald Estate, children whose parents cannot afford the transport fares on a daily basis walk the long distance to town. This affects their performance at school, and some of them even drop out of school,” he says. To him, there is a need to address the issue of shortage of health facilities in the constituency so that clinics may run on a 24-hour service basis. “For example, people from Gerald Estate are expected to travel all the way to Area W even at night for medical assistance. This exposes them to the danger of being attacked by thugs. Besides, it means that even emergency cases are not able to receive help as soon as they should, thereby compromising their lives,” he notes. Tambula is also worried that instead of being a relief measure, “government has turned Ipelegeng into a permanent feature of our lives. Government must invest in projects that will create employment for the youth to help them build lives for themselves. Our youth should be inspired into become ambitious citizens with long-term goals,” says Tambula, who doubles as Head of Compliance in the UDC.
How does he hope to draw the attention of the voters to the BPP and its partners? “We are going to be more visible and vocal. In the process, we shall hit hard on the things that matter most to the people. If need be, we shall lead demonstrations,” concludes the farmer who, as a parting shot, says he lost all his cattle to the FMD.