Magama on the comeback trail

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday June 13, 2014 15:52

 

In 2004, after the passing of the former Botswana National Front (BNF) president and area MP, Magama sailed through and for five years was the toast of Gaborone’s most deprived areas. But the then BNF secretary general had a falling out with the leadership of Otsweletse Moupo, and went into the 2009 general elections caught up in factional wars, and just about handed the constituency to Kagiso Molatlhegi of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

While Magama is hoping to regain the seat, Molatlhegi is fighting to retain it.  Also in the mix is Murray Dipate of the Umbrella for Democratic Change.  Dipate is no pushover, and is a veteran of the opposition politics – having served at different leadership structures of the BNF and BCP.

Magama’s political activism dates back to the late 1970s when he joined the BNF study group as a secondary school student. After being with the party for four decades, an embattled Magama left the party in 2012 when he was secretary general to join BCP. He was one of those who openly spoke out against the BNF forming a coalition with the Botswana Movement for Democracy, to form the umbrella.  Together with some of the central committee members who preferred a pact agreement with the BCP, he left to join the lime movement in 2012, and within a short period, during the party’s last July congress, he was elected deputy secretary general.

“I am also the Botswana Congress Party Shadow Minister for Mineral, Energy and Water Resources. I contested parliamentary elections for the first time in 2004 under the BNF ticket and won the Gaborone South constituency and served as a Member of Parliament for five years. I contested again in 2009 and lost narrowly to the BDP due to internal bickering in the BNF. This will be my third parliamentary contest,” he says.

Before Moupo won the 2005 by-elections, Magama, as the BNF’s highest ranking official in Parliament, served as the Leader of Opposition.

He also served in different organs such as Foreign Affairs and Security, and Public Accounts Committee.

Transforming governance practice is the election issue Magama is riding on, communicating his belief in an ethical, accountable and transparent government that promotes participatory democracy and collective decision-making.

He says one of the challenges faced by opposition politicians in Botswana is a lack of resources. “We have a responsibility to literally fund our campaign from our pockets. This is a burden on candidates, as they have to carry the entire cost of being a public representative.”  

Thus, Magama and his colleagues have for years been advocating for political party funding, whose key purpose would be to try to level the political playing field.

He describes the BCP as a party with a disciplined and visionary leadership and his mandate will be to spearhead the party’s transformation agenda.  He emphasises that transforming governance practice will be a central issue in his political platform because he believes in an ethical, accountable and transparent government that promotes participatory democracy and collective decision-making.

In addition to implementing the party’s national manifesto, if voted to represent Gaborone South, Magama says he will advocate for, among others, the provision of 24-hour service at the Old Naledi and Bontleng clinics; review of Self Help Housing Agency (SHHA) policy so that it includes loans for sewage connection; drawing up of a well-coordinated maintenance plan for streets lights, schools facilities, recreational parks and community halls; and efficient and regular collection of domestic and garden waste and their proper disposal.

He will also advocate for the construction of a pedestrian bridge across Kudumatse Road into Old Naledi; construction of a multi-purpose hall at Selemela Ward; establishment of a Youth Centre in Bontleng and construction of a fully fledged sports complex at Thebe Primary School grounds and Gaborone Senior Secondary School grounds. He will also fight for the establishment of a regulatory framework that will address the issue of abandoned households or plots particularly at Gaborone Village, Babusi Ward, and the construction of a public library that will serve the whole city.

Unemployment in general and amongst the youth in particular, is of great concern to the soft-spoken veteran. “I will advocate for the establishment of a Youth Entrepreneur Development Agency to assist the youth with training and development, funding and capacity building for businesses.”

Magama was born in Maitengwe in the North East and completed his secondary schooling at St Joseph’s College. He studied for a Bachelor’s degree (BA) Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Botswana and a Master Degree (MSC) in Human Resources Management at the University of Manchester. A human resources management expert, Magama served as a director of Human Resources at the University of Botswana (2002-2004). Still at UB, he has also been the deputy director (appointments & administration), and senior assistant registrar (academic staffing). He also worked as research officer at Botswana Technology Centre.