Goya, Ramogapi tussle: More than homeboys' ordinary clash
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday January 29, 2021 17:46
FRANCISTOWN: It will now seemingly take a miracle to avert a political duel of the opposition parties in Palapye after the area’s former legislator, Goya declared his intention to “finish off where he had left off.”
Goya, a former member of the President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s cabinet who failed re-election in the 2019 general election, recently made his intentions known when he was welcomed into his new BPF home.
He didn’t want to leave any ambiguity when he told his welcome rally that he was on a mission to conclude the political business he could not complete when he lost to the incumbent, MP Onnetse Ramogapi of the opposition coalition UDC.
Ramogapi’s party, Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is contracted to the tri-party UDC which also has Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) as members.
Social media has been awash with raving reviews of Goya’s pledge to fly the BPF flag very high in the seemingly dynamic Palapye political scene.
Whilst the BPF has been approached by the UDC to work cooperatively with them during by-elections and hopefully in the bigger picture of the next general election and beyond, the new party is seemingly adamant to contest the Palapye constituency come 2024, something that suggests it could be its party position.
In fact, the BPF has been the busiest political organisation traversing the length and breadth of the country welcoming new members to its fold and wooing possible new recruits even from the opposition.
Yes, the die is cast in Palapye for a possible 2024 face-to-face battle for the control of the constituency between the UDC and the BPF.
Perhaps, to reflect on his intentions to defend the constituency in 2024, Ramogapi posted on his facebook account making a vow to fight back.
“One of my best friends called demanding to know if I wasn’t intimidated by the return of Goya to Palapye politics as a BPF parliamentary candidate in the next general election,” wrote Ramogapi. He added that at best he laughed off reports of intimidation as that was not on his political menu at all.
“I said, no way would I be intimidated by competition. To the best of my knowledge, a wedding celebration is two-legged, relax I will defend the constituency and win with a bigger margin under the UDC,” the confident Ramogapi had further written.
It goes without saying that political war of greater magnitude awaits Palapye residents as the BPF and the UDC battle proper for the control of Palapye gathers momentum.
Interestingly, to Goya’s credit and something that could have buoyed him to move on with his ambitions is a commendation write up that circulated on the social media and authored by his former boss and former cabinet fellow, Vincent Seretse.
“Master, let me take this moment to wish you well in your new journey. I have worked with you over the years and you are steadfast, with strong character. You are a true public servant and I believe your passion and commitment to serve remains shining as ever,” Seretse had written. He further indicated that he was hopeful that Goya shall find joy and freedom to do what he has always wanted free from the cloud that has always followed.
Interestingly, although Ramogapi was not ready to comment on this one, prior to welcoming Goya, he (Ramogapi) was given a choice to decamp from the UDC and bear the BPF flag, something that Ramogapi couldn’t jump onto as he still has the confidence and hope in the UDC.
A BPF operative who masterminded a failed possible Ramogapi move indicated this week that Goya is their best catch and they are hopeful he is the area’s next MP. He further claimed that Ramogapi is only the legislator on ‘borrowed time’ because he is where he is because of their efforts.
It’s apparent that there is soaring interest for the BPF to sell its catch to the masses in Palapye ahead of the 2024 general election. The UDC is also taking the fight back to the BPF which makes the political development an interesting affair.
BPF president Biggie Butale told Mmegi this week, the party is currently engaged in negotiation talks with the UDC and only once such talks are completed that it will be clear whether Palapye is their area to contest or not.
“However, it doesn’t take away the rights of our individual members to express their interests to contest certain areas they are eyeing,’ emphasised Butale pleading for patience until the talks are concluded.
It goes without saying that Goya and Ramogapi have become the cynosure of all eyes as the political story continues to unfold in Palapye thereby putting the Central District village on the spotlight.
Who are Goya and Ramogapi after all? The duo obviously does not need any more introduction as they have been on the political scene long enough. But, who are they?
GoyaA former assistant minister, Goya will be remembered for his robustness in campaigns when in his genesis in politics, he brushed aside former health minister, Professor Sheila Tlou in a by-election left by the abrupt departure of Boyce Sebetela who was then area MP. Goya beat Tlou twice, cementing his popularity in the constituency.
A former senior banker at the Standard Chartered Bank of Botswana where he rose from a clerk to head of recoveries unit at the bank’s head office.
In his political career, Goya has articulated very well issues of rising crime in Palapye, unemployment especially among the youth and advocating for pertinent infrastructure development.
He grew up in a family of pro-BDP family and became an active member of the BDP in 2002. He has always been an advocate of the late Sir Seretse Khama’s philosophy.
“If you have led the difficult life like me, you know the needs of other people,” said Goya who in a previous interview indicated that at the age of 19 years, he took up responsibility of providing for a family of about 12 people.
In 2003, Goya was approached by some people to try his luck in the 2004 general election; he declined, alleging that it was not yet ripe.
Ramogapi
Ramogapi is a former BDP councilor for a long time before he developed interest in contesting Palapye parliamentary seat. He previously lost the BDP ticket for primary elections in 2014 to Goya before he quit the ruling party to join the BCP. He would win the parliamentary seat just at the first attempt as an opposition candidate under the ambit of the UDC.
Ramogapi’s trump card has always been the poor state of the health centre, which he argues is not coping with the demands of the services. The Palapye Primary Hospital comes across as a major concern to him more so that the country is grappling with Coronavirus pandemic. In particular, he seems perturbed by the hospital’s state of disrepair and capacity.
He echoes Goya’s sentiments on graduates unemployment, crime, and further highlights a worrying poor network of roads in the village.
Ramogapi started off as an active member of the Morupule ward cell in 1996. He attended Electoral College elections for the 1999 general election at the Palapye community hall. As political interest soared, he resigned from a Botswana Housing Corporation post in 2003, where he was employed as an estate officer.
He then ventured into school business and farming culminating in him enlisting in the BDP’s Bulela Ditswe primaries in 2003 and he would finally win the Mmaphula ward elections in 2004.
He served the council until the time he decided to challenge Goya in the parliamentary elections in 2014, which he lost agonisingly culminating in him quitting the BDP for the opposition BCP. He has served in various positions within the BDP region and sub committees of the BDP central committee.
Ramogapi’s elaborate work experience includes working as vocational lecturer, head of construction department, building manager, estate officer, principal consultant and managing director at the Palapye Development Trust.
The political duel between Ramogapi and Goya will be more than a homeboys’ street fight if at all this fight will materialise as there are behind the scenes efforts to avert this meet. But, the BPF seems to be adamant that it wants to widen up its influence in area that feels has long warmed up to it.