Molefhi ready for any position on offer
Ryder Gabathuse | Thursday July 13, 2017 16:11
Smarting from a bitter weekend after his lobby group, ‘Team Marakanelo’ lost emphatically to its rivals, Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s ‘Team Dubai’, Molefhi told Mmegi after the ruling party’s 37th elective congress that he was ready to settle even for less. Molefhi was explicit in his response to a question seeking to know his availability in 2018 if Masisi could appoint him party chairperson when he ascends to the state presidency.
From the look of things, the pro-Molefhi faction is likely to get a consolation prize next year April after it failed to win even a single position in the 100% Masisi-dominated central committee of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). “I am ready to take up any role that I will be assigned in the party.
I will take it,” was Molefhi’s unambiguous response to an enquiry if he could take up any role assigned him in the pro-Masisi dominated newly elected BDP leadership. As to whether he will abandon or still pursue his ambition to become the BDP and state president, Molefhi was a bit diplomatic in his approach. It seems his ambitions are more propelled by the party constitution and the will of the people.
”I may have ambitions for becoming party and state president, but if I don’t have the requisite support of the party structures it’s a futile exercise. Since I became a BDP politician, I have been asked the same question again and to be precise, since 2004,” Molefhi stated. Pressed on, the Selebi-Phikwe East legislature explained that, “I am saying, ambition or no ambition, it’s the democrats who will make their determination.
It’s a futile exercise to trumpet the ambition or beat one’s chest about it”. Molefhi was however, unwilling to state in clear terms whether he will come back and challenge for any party elected office. “It is too early to make any pronouncement. It’s not the season for that.”
He reiterated his position that challenging Masisi for the chairpersonship was not a rebellious act as he was empowered like everybody else including the winner, by the party constitution. Molefhi was certain that no one was going to walk away from his team and the party. This follows a weekend whitewash drubbing by the rival faction. “We are determined to stay in the party and help build it into the future,” he said.