Mooketsi move vindicates Mpuang, Majadibodu
Ryder Gabathuse | Thursday October 26, 2017 15:27
Over a year ago, Mooketsi was a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) operative in the Botsalano ward who spat on the BDP’s secretive recruitment process masterminded by Francistown-West parliamentary hopeful Raoboy Mpuang and former BCP parliamentary hopeful for Nata-Gweta Ditiro Majadibodu.
At the outset, Mooketsi shunned the recruitment process, which he claimed was destined to throw him into the BDP’s bare-knuckled fights in the Francistown-West constituency apparently targeting the ouster of area MP, Ignatius Moswaane by the pro-Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi group.
“It did not make sense to me that at the point of being recruited into the party, it was made clear to me that I would be joining the pro-Masisi faction,” Mooketsi queried last year July.
The BCP head honchos in the north widened the leakage of a tape that stealthily recorded the recruitment process and left the BDP secretariat on the other hand with egg on the face.
Mooketsi was supported by some party veterans like Vain Mamela who joined in condemning the recruitment process geared at crippling the BCP in the Francistown-West constituency. The BCP was oblivious of the reality that a year down the line, Mooketsi, who is popularly known as Baka, would have bolted out of the party.
Fast-forward Mooketsi and a former BCP Botsalano ward chairperson Mosetsana Ramotswere were officially welcomed into the party at a closed-door session at the Francistown Centre for Technical and Vocational Education (FCTVE) over the weekend.
The weekend meeting was simply a precursor to the major official launch rally of the BCP recruits officially joining the BDP scheduled for November including the general party members already recruited.
Mooketsi’s final resolution to join the BCP has vindicated Mpuang who at the time was the Francistown region secretary and Majadibodu, his “partner in crime”, as his (Mooketsi’s) final decision is a culmination of a process which started on the wrong footing.
Elated Mpuang could not hide his excitement this week, declaring that they have won.
“You must remember that at the time that I battled with the recruitment of targeted politicians, I was the secretary of the Francistown region. I have played my part and I pride myself in fulfilling the project of VP and party chairman Masisi,” Mpuang blew his trumpet.
Majadibodu somewhat downplayed his excitement declaring that he cannot claim any credit in Mooketsi’s decision to finally join the BDP insisting, “I am not behind his recruitment because I stopped pursuing him after he leaked the recruitment tape to the media”.
Mooketsi’s move in particular comes deeply from his heart, as it was also not made in a hurry.
He is certain that he is not joining the BDP without a dent on the BCP membership in Botsalano ward. The number of BCP general membership that will follow him next month will prove his worth. “More is expected to happen at Botsalano as people are disillusioned with the BCP and now they want to join a party that will take heed of their needs,” he said. Mooketsi described as “sour grapes,” accusations that he has been bought.
Over the weekend, veteran politician Mamela and some BCP activists addressed a political rally in Botsalano where they gave Mooketsi some “political provisions” as he and Ramotswere officially crossed the floor.
Mamela known for his tendency to hit hard on his opponents, described Mooketsi as an ‘economic refugee’ hoping for economic recovery from the BDP aid.
He ridiculed Mooketsi as an opportunist who failed to work very hard for his future but expected to be simply spoon-fed.