Opposition Mps Snub UDC Launch
Monkagedi Gaothobogwe | Monday February 6, 2017 17:22
Ngwaketse West MP, Shawn Nthaile was the only Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Parliamentarian at the launch, while both Botswana Congress Party (BCP) MPs attended.
However, UDC spokesperson Moeti Caesar Mohwasa downplayed the situation. He said it could be that the MPs were busy addressing constituency meetings, or that they wanted to give the leadership of the UDC space to announce the unity talks without the MP’s taking the limelight.
“It would be unfair to blame them for missing (the launch); this was a leadership activity that may have clashed with MPs’ constituency activities,” Mohwasa told The Monitor yesterday.
As the presidents of the UDC’s contracting partners gathered at the Oasis Motel in Tlokweng to give the history-making announcement that saw the unveiling of new UDC colours of Royal Blue, there were no UDC MP’s in sight. One of the UDC cooperation talks officials, Reverend Prince Dibeela attended, but did not sit at the top table preferring to take a seat among the crowd as a spectator.
Confusion further reigned in the newly announced unified opposition after a Botswana Movement For Democracy (BMD) faction belonging to its president and Bonnington South MP, Ndaba Gaolathe, who is also UDC vice president, skipped the launch of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) council candidate for the Rasesa by-election last Saturday. Also, Gantsi North MP, Noah Salakae was the only Botswana National Front (BNF) MP present at the star rally other than UDC president Duma Boko, who is also the BNF leader and MP for Bonnington North.
Only the BMD faction aligned to former Lobatse MP, Nehemiah Modubule was visible on Saturday as well as MPs Tlamelo Mmatli (Molepolole South) and area (Mochudi West) MP, Gilbert Mangole attended the monster rally. But there was no BMD president’s right-hand man, Francistown South Wynter Mmolotsi in sight after he sent an apology for not being able to attend the BCP rally, where Boko was also the main speaker.
The UDC has 17 MPs, majority of whom belong to the BMD. It was not just Ndaba and his BMD MP’s that were conspicuous by their absence at the Rasesa star rally on Saturday, even the Botswana National Front MPs were nowhere to be seen, save for Salakae.
The Rasesa ward by-election will be held on Saturday.