Molapise comes out of retirement again

Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday March 19, 2014 14:53

 

Molapise announced after the 2009 general elections that he will no-longer contest for political office to pursue other interests.

However, after days of speculation Molapise whose party is partner in the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) project, has confirmed that he will contest for the Boikhutso ward council seat in the next general elections.

Robert Mosweu of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) voted him out of the council at the 2009 general elections after 25 years of service.

“I was pressured by some fellow party leaders to stand for the elections this year.

“They believe that the umbrella project is still taking shape and it will not be appropriate for me not to contest the elections while the umbrella initiative is still taking shape.

“I initially recommended one young member within the party to contest the elections, but I have changed my mind after consultation with fellow party leaders,” Molapise said.

He maintained that he still has a lot to offer electorates and the development of the city. This is not the first time Molapise has come out of retirement.

Molapise first became the president of the BPP in 2000 before handing over the baton to Bernard Balikani in 2004 when he announced that he no longer wanted to be active in any party leadership position. He would later come out of retirement and take over as the party’s national chairman.

After the 2009 general elections Molapise became the president of the party following the resignation of Bernard Balikani before he passed the baton to Whyte Marobela in 2010.

In 2011 Molapise returned as the party president after the departure of Marobela, who left BPP under a cloud.

Early last year towards the BPP’s elective conference, Molapise announced that he was quitting as party president, but later changed his mind.  He was elected president of the party at their conference last July.