BPF loses out on Maele
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday August 23, 2019 14:16
The BPF is contesting 2019 general election in 18 constituencies including Lerala/Maunatlala, according to the party leadership. The BPF, a breakaway party from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) formed last May also contests 219 council seats.
Maele, former BDP MP launched his symbol over the weekend in Lecheng, as a sign that he has chosen to move on with his political ambitions as an independent candidate.
Nowhere in his address did he propose to the throngs at the rally that he was contemplating to campaign under the BPF ticket. It’s seemingly a foregone conclusion that Maele will continue as an independent.
Yes, there were BPF activists at his rally who were clad in their party paraphernalia but Maele never hinted to any form of working relationship with anyone of them including some operatives of the opposition Alliance for Progressives (AP) like Joseph Dintwa from Mogapi village and others who were given a chance to speak.
Speakers only utilised their time to present Maele as a good man who has potential to deliver as an independent MP in the next parliament.
In an interview this week, Maele concurred to have met a delegation of four BPF national executive committee (NEC) members proposing that he stands on the BPF ticket but he explained circumstances preventing him to do so for now. “I told the BPF delegation that I have consulted extensively on their proposal at two constituency meetings at both Lerala and Maunatlala villages and the emphasis was that I should contest as an independent candidate and will decide later after the general election where to go,” explained Maele this week.
Much as he may consider the BPF, the golden threat is that he has support from the BPF, BDP, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and non-aligned people across the constituency, which he was not willing to lose for now.
Maele highlighted that prospects were very high for him to be retained and as for now, he chose to respect the will of the people as they have already spoken. “The BPF is the only party so far that extends invitations to me and I have always honoured them and will continue doing so,” he concluded. It raises doubts that Maele will bend to the demands of the BPF to be their candidate in the constituency as the BPF publicity secretary, Justice Motlhabani suggested in a recent interview. Most importantly, time is running out. This week Motlhabani explained that Maele has requested to meet with the BPF NEC to present his position and explain a host of variables and factors in his constituency and wards that prevent him from joining the BPF immediately.
“Our position as the BPF is that we will back and support our candidates only and in those constituencies where we don’t contest we will root for the UDC,” Motlhabani further explained.
However, Motlhabani added that all independent candidates who are still yet to join the BPF can present their case before the BPF NEC, which will consider requests and reasons on a case-by-case basis, without compromising on how they intend to approach the 2019 general election and who they will support.
Despite his doubtful BPF move, Maele was able to highlight at his launch rally that former president Ian Khama, who is also the BPF founding patron will launch him at a time to be announced.