Mafoko, Tshotlego quit BCP, rejoin BDP
Onalenna Kelebeile | Tuesday November 8, 2016 17:33
The BCP in response saiwd Mafoko never tendered any resignation letter, but only saw him being welcomed by Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi at a rally in Moshupa over the weekend. Mafoko confirmed his move, which he said, was necessitated by poor structures, poor coordination and poor communication on the side of the BCP. He wondered how the opposition particularly the BCP, is going to win the general elections while it is so weak especially in his isolated ward, Tswapong South.
“Serving as a councillor in my ward was challenging and I could not make any inroads and it made my duties cumbersome. I have long warned the BCP structures that if they do not change their attitude I will go back to the BDP,” he said. He said his followers and electorates would have to follow him.
“My electorates will have to follow me as their leader. I didn’t inform the BCP about my resignation because defection has never had any consultation. The same thing applied when I left the BDP. I did not consult with them. Ga ke ise ke bone lepolotiki le laela. In fact, I would be the first politician to do that,” he said.
He stated that his reasons for initially quitting the ruling party were purely relationship issues with his area, MP Dorcus Makgato and said he believes that they are both warming up to it and they will work together for the progress of the BDP. He said it was only that the branch committee took long to reconcile them hence he overreacted by defecting to the BCP.
“I was personally approached by President Ian Khama and VP Masisi to reconsider my decision and I felt it was not necessary to betray Khama, more so that our relationship does not begin in politics, but from way back in the army where I was his batman and we enjoyed a cordial working relationship,” he said.
“It is better to eat a dry crust of bread with a peace of mind than to live in a house full of troubles. What I enjoyed in the BDP is better than staying in opposition,” he said.
For his part BCP vice president Kesitegile Gobotswang said councillor Mafoko was a valuable catch and seemed to have a good understanding of the BCP ideologies and was committed to regime change. He said the councillor was very excited over the way the opposition was coming up to face the ruling party.
“I do not know how he is going to operate and I believe that he is going to face a very hostile environment given his relations with the ruling party branch and the area MP. I think he will regret his move,” he said.
Gobotswang viewed the whole thing as a Masisi project that uses unsuspecting politicians as pawns.
Meanwhile, former councillor Dithapelo Tshotlego has also retraced his steps back to the ruling party last week Thursday advancing similar reasons as those of Mafoko after defecting eight months ago.
Tshotlego also said that he has not tendered a resignation letter to the BCP because he did not tender one to the BDP when he left it.