Mangole On His Knees
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday September 23, 2019 12:26
That was to a large crowd and there was little doubt that Mangole would go back to Parliament.
In the turn of events, Mangole went on to win the elections with 8,856 votes, Unity Dow of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) came second 6,085 while Alfred Pilane of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) got 3,550.
With dynamics having changed, Mangole first went to Parliament in 2009 on a BDP ticket after two terms as Central Ward councillor. The area had always been an opposition stronghold.
The BCP has joined the UDC, which has since ejected his party Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) from the alliance. Following the ruling by the High Court that BMD was rightfully expelled from the UDC, the Orange movement will for the first time since its formation in 2010 go to the polls on its own.
Though attendance of launches does not really translate into how a candidate/ party will perform in elections, Mangole’s launch over the weekend presented him as a man who could be kissing Parliament goodbye.
The BMD secretary general’s launch was attended by less than 200 people including those who had come to support from other constituencies. Party chairperson, Nehemiah Modubule launched Mangole alongside nine council candidates in a constituency with 11 wards.
Mangole, alongside Modubule were fingered by some party members as ringleaders of elders lobbying Sidney Pilane to come back to the BMD. Pilane reapplied to be admitted back into the party in 2015. He was rejected at Gaborone North Constituency and then re-applied at Mochudi West Constituency where he was later admitted into the BMD.
Mangole alongside Pilane and Modubule and Tlamelo Mmatli with a tag name MMMP fought for the leadership of the party against Ndaba Gaolathe and Wynter Mmolotsi.
The fight led to the party splitting in 2017. The BMD was then expelled from the opposition coalition in 2018. This has resulted in Mangole’s quest to seek re-election being a mountain to climb. He is however adamant that Bakgatla will retain him.
“As the BMD we live our word. We pride ourselves in giving opportunities to women and young people. What is left is for you to vote for them. Just like you know from 2014 after elections we were clear that we do not condone corruption. We vowed to do all to fight corruption. Look at UDC now it is now sleeping with the same people who were said to be corrupt.
“As the BMD, we stood by our principle and are proud to have three women and a young man of 21 years as council candidates. If we were greedy, we could be the ones working with Khama’s party. But we stood by our principle and we will not work with Khama regardless of how that will affect us.
We as Bakgatla respect bogosi and do not want to be like other tribes who let their Dikgosi into politics. Bakgatla are clear that Mmusi Kgafela is a Kgosi and his work is at the Kgotla and not politics. Bakgatla will on the 23rd October defend their bogosi and deny him votes,” he said.
“As for the UDC, I will be wasting time to speak about their candidate, Bakgatla are taking me back to Parliament on a point of principle. That is my plea to them and I know they will do it. I have to finish what I started in Parliament,” he continued.
The BDP’s candidate in Mochudi West is Mmusi Kgafela, the younger brother to Kgosi Kgafela II. UDC has replaced Mangole with Tona Mooketsi, the outgoing Kgatleng District Council chairperson.