Haidongo's comradeship paves way for Kapinga
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday April 24, 2018 14:42
The primary elections are meant to secure candidacy for the 2019 general election. Haidongo stated that although he did not make a public announcement that he will not contest the primaries he took the decision late last December.
The BCP firebrand’s decision not to challenge Kapinga has come as a surprise to many.
Initially, he strongly remarked that he would not pave way for Kapinga. That was after some party members reportedly wanted him to move aside for Kapinga, who is widely viewed as a man who can help the BCP win the constituency from the BDP.
“I took the decision in the spirit of promoting comradeship in the party. After the departure of the area Member of Parliament (MP) Bagalatia Arone to the ruling party I felt that there is need for stability in the constituency.
“I pulled out of the race because I felt that having many primary election candidates would create instability in the constituency. I had to place the interests of the party before mine,” he said.
Kapinga will not be opposed at the BCP primaries in June this year. The party recently closed applications for those interested in the primaries.
The much-hyped arrival of Kapinga who is the former deputy commissioner of police into the BCP last year was calculated as a big hurdle for Haidongo.
Kapinga was immediately tipped as BCP‘s favourite person to win the primaries to book candidacy for the 2019 general election.
Haidongo has lost the BCP primaries three times. He was brutally hammered by the late Okavango MP Joseph Kavindama in his first and second attempt respectively.
In his third attempt a then little known Arone floored him towards the 2009 general election. He chose not to challenge for the 2013 primaries ahead of the 2014 general elections.
Prior to Kapinga’s arrival Haidongo was widely tipped to be the BCP candidate for the Okavango constituency at the 2019 general election, following incumbent legislator, Arone‘s defection to the Botswana Democratic Party.