Mabaila Finally Registers As Mokoko
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday December 10, 2018 14:44
The youthful Mabaila was slapped with the five-year suspension by the BDP national disciplinary committee for influencing two BDP Members of Parliament (MP) to pass the motion of no confidence against President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Masisi then endorsed his five-year suspension in the party. The Leader of Opposition, Duma Boko, had some time last year tabled the motion of no confidence.
“It is true I will be contesting as an independent candidate.
I believe I still stand a good chance to win the constituency even if I am not under any party,” he said.
“Residents of Mogoditshane know that I can represent them well in Parliament than anyone. Mogoditshane is one of the constituencies that were close to my heart and I believe that representing people does not necessarily require someone to be under any party. If people believe in you, they can still vote for you regardless of party affiliation.” Mabaila said he has done his best to follow BDP procedures, but there is nothing he can do because some party members had their own agenda of blocking him from contesting.
He maintains that he had done nothing wrong. Mabaila said he is confident that some BDP members would still vote for him even if he were running as an independent.
Political analyst, Anthony Morima said he believes that Mabaila’s move is well calculated.
“I do think he has nothing to lose whether he wins or not in the 2019 general elections. Again his move might split the vote for BDP in the elections,” Morima said.
“If he wins, this will set a wrong precedence for BDP regarding issues of mekoko and that might mean some members are unhappy or do not agree with the BDP national disciplinary committee on some decisions they are taking.
If you look at his following, Mabaila stands a chance. Again his relationship with President Masisi will never be good.” He said some people who are supporters of former president Ian Khama would back Mabaila just to prove Masisi was in the wrong.