BPP confusion as Kusasa enters fray
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday September 14, 2018 14:02
Although the BPP has been given this constituency on a silver platter on swapping basis with Botswana Congress Party’s (BCP) preferred constituency in Maun West, confusion is now gripping the area. Latest developments show that Maria Kusasa, who has been a BCP activist, has crossed the floor to the BPP with promises that she would be given a chance to try her luck in the constituency as a late entrant in the race. Until this week, the BPP vice president, Mbaakanyi Lenyatso, has been known to be contesting for the parliamentary seat. Now, there are reports that Kusasa, who is reportedly in the party president Motlatsi Molapise’s camp, is the preferred candidate, which could leave the party distracted from its main objective of winning the area.
The BPP is still grappling with attracting numbers in the constituency, as it’s arguably a weaker candidate as compared to the BCP, which was earlier preferred to contest the area. Both BPP and BCP are members of the coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), whose other partners are the Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD). The latter however was recently suspended from the umbrella.
Molapise confirmed in a telephone interview this week that Kusasa has joined the party. “I have received news that Kusasa has joined the BPP, but as for her interest to contest the parliamentary elections under the BPP ticket, I am not privy to that,” Molapise said. He stated that Kusasa has received her party membership from the party’s new office in Tatisiding, which was issued by one James Kaisara.
Kusasa yesterday confirmed that she has since rejoined the party that she calls her political home. “I have since rejoined the BPP from the BCP and I have long made up my mind to rejoin the party, but the party leadership took long to re-admit me,” she told Mmegi. Quizzed about her desire to represent the party in Francistown West, Kusasa chose not to be direct in her response, but rather she would prefer to go wherever the party sends her.
“Gongwe le gongwe ko ke rongwang teng ke a ya (Wherever the party prefers that I contest, I will go),” she said.
Lenyatso on the other hand is oblivious of the arrival of a possible challenger.
“I don’t know that. I only know Kusasa to be a BCP activist. Look, I need to focus on the campaigns lest I get distracted by such reports,” said Lenyatso.
He finds the reports on Kusasa simply as delaying tactics and a distraction that could remove his eyes from the political ball.
He says reports of Kusasa coming to contest are neither here nor there because the BPP has long issued a writ of its internal elections. “I am afraid to say more, but I have just heard allegations from someone who indicated that a ‘preferred’ candidate is coming,” thundered Lenyatso, sarcastically wondering, “preferred by who?”
Lenyatso indicated that he is open to everything as he is not a desperate politician in need of a job. “If it was a better person who could take the party somewhere it will be understood. But, remember this is a person who left the BPP two months going into the last general elections and joined the BCP,” said Lenyatso, referring to Kusasa.