Tawana shows his mettle

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Wednesday March 18, 2009 00:00

 

The choir continued to shine before the top table singing partisan songs about Tawana's abilities and ridiculing the opposition parties that they did not pose a threat. The songs encouraged BDP diehards to go and vote in large numbers. Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM) were dismissed as nothing viable.

Some BDP bigwigs found themselves singing at the podium to show their prowess and to counter the shining choir. Cabinet colleagues like Jacob Nkate who is also BDP secretary general found himself singing the song 'khoba...khoba' to prove that he had what it takes from his Ngamiland constituency, more so that his choir was at the weekend launch.

Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi belted, 'ditsala se re feleleng dipelo... re tsile go tshameka le lona...' showing Maun West constituents how it is done in the Serowe South constituency where she is also the MP. Gaborone Central parliamentary hopeful, Gomolemo Motswaledi, promised to set the stage alight if it was not for the limited time.

Tawana's arrival was met with deafening ululations, whistling and beating of drums at the Magotho Freedom Square in the Kgosing ward.

This was the occasion to launch Maun West parliamentary and council candidates. Any opposition operative who attended this rally must have been green with envy.

Kgosi Tawana Moremi would later be paraded with his team, which included Ace Molelo, General Modiegi, Pelokgale Monyame, Simon Mhapha, Obonya Morapedi and Moses Seboifeng.

This overwhelming support seemed to energise Tawana who was seemingly exhausted by the morning's engagement in a motorcade that took him and his campaign team around town.

Typical of a traditional Tswana chief, Tawana, with his wife in tow, was wearing a red, black and white headgear made from feathers to complement his new party attire evidently cut for the event. The headgear definitely separated Tawana from his 'subjects'. His supporting wife was clad in the party paraphernalia.

On this Saturday afternoon, dark rain clouds were gathering with a threat of heavy downpour. This left some party diehards, panic stricken that the rain would spoil the party. But one man who incessantly made noise, stunned the crowd that it would not rain until Tawana had spoken.

When Tawana finally took his seat among the party's bigwigs at the top table, the deafening noise settled. Magotho Freedom Square is strategically located in the Kgosing ward. It is a stones' throw from the town centre and there are council institutional houses and other residential dwelling houses around this area. So, those who were lazy to attend the massive rally were able to listen to the proceedings from the comfort of their homes.

BDP Gaborone Central parliamentary hopeful Motswaledi had earlier on alluded to the fact that, 'Tawana speaks his mind'. Perhaps, it was Tawana's tendency to take advantage of large gatherings like this rally to 'speak his mind' that it attracted a lot of people to witness the launch and probably pick a quote of the week.

Not long ago, Tawana shocked multitudes at the funeral of a member of the royal house that his son would never go into chieftainship. There has been this talk in Maun that Tawana would retract his earlier words, but it never happened.

Communications, Science and Technology Minister and BDP Central Committee member responsible for Tswapong region, Venson-Moitoi aptly settled the minds of those who were confused about Tawana's multiple roles.

'Motho yo ke kgosi o tsetswe ga re ka ke ra mo apola bogosi. Tawana ga a ema ka sepe sa bogosi, le fa ele kgotla tota - Tawana is a chief of Batawana by birth and he is not using any of the chieftainship resources in his campaigns, not even including the Kgotla, said Venson-Moitoi defending the fact that Tawana is a chief in politics just like President Ian Khama.

Many speakers took turns praising Tawana as their leader and that once he is voted to Parliament, he will make a good representative.

When he finally took to the podium, Tawana was like fish to water or fitted like hand to glove as he faced the ecstatic crowd. Except for his posture at the podium, generally Tawana has adapted very well to the game that is often referred to as the 'dirty game'.

As if he feared to fall from the podium, he tended to lean against the podium raising fears of possible stage fright. But in general terms, Tawana executed himself very well.

When he finally addressed the crowd he said: 'I lose patience to always repeat one thing many times, to the people who choose not to take heed of the appeals to vote for the BDP'. In his view, the BDP is a sellable product and its good deeds are there for all to see. His belief was seen as 'autocratic' and devoid of democratic principles to believe that all and sundry will embrace his views merely because he is the chief.

Instead of going into the minute details of what the BDP was doing to the people, he felt that was rather a waste of time.

'Yo mongwe ke kopana le ene maloba a re ga a ye go tlhopha e bile a tla a rwele dijo tsa mophako - I recently bumped into some local guy laden with government-aided food ration claiming that he was not going to vote for the BDP,' he said, feeling that it was a given to vote for a party that provides for one's needs.

Tawana, who was apparently tactical in his approach, described the Bulela Ditswe loser and outgoing area MP, Ronald Ridge as a champion of democracy. 'This man has shown that instability associated with the party primaries was not part of his agenda. He knows that we have a long way to go in this game. He has a chance to challenge me in the party primaries come 2014'.

He also dismissed reports that he was in an unstable political relationship with the BDP secretary general, Jacob Nkate. 'It's not true that we don't enjoy a steady political relationship. We have never fought,' he assured and added that they were even planning to work closer in the North West region.He was happy that the BDP has a vision of producing capable political leaders of tomorrow. 'Some time back, I was recruited by one of the opposition parties to join them and contest as their parliamentary candidate.

I told a long time friend of mine, Dumelang Saleshando of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) that it was really impossible for me to represent any other party'.

Tawana here was referring to a period prior to the 2004 general election after the BDP had rejected him as a parliamentary candidate as he had wished. He said his party was conducting door-to-door campaigns in an endeavour to ensure that they sweep the stakes.As if he was communicating with the skies, Tawana shouted, 'It may now rain since I am now over with his address. I can tell you that before coming here, I had communicated with the skies that it must only rain after the rally'.