Flip-flop Phil missed the BDP

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Tuesday August 10, 2010 00:00

 

Makgalemele, who confirmed yesterday morning that he rejoined the BDP said he regrets ever leaving the ruling BDP. 

'I apologise for the pain I caused my family, the Shoshong constituency and the wider BDP,' he said. In an interview with Mmegi yesterday, the legislator who rejoined the BDP from the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) said he was missing the party (BDP) he has known all his life. He has been in the BMD for about three weeks.

'I was missing a lot of things in the BDP, like the good policies of the party,' he said. In a statement released to the media, the legislator further states that 'for me as a person it was becoming increasingly difficult to pursue a path of attacking and denouncing many initiatives which I consider not only necessary but inevitable in the decision that only I, can make in this matter,' he says in the statement.

When pressed to explain why he left the BDP in the first place, Makgalemele said he was worried by the absence of internal party democracy. But on reflection, he said, 'I realised I didn't voice my concern on the issue. This time I will. I will use all the available fora,' he said.

The Shoshong MP said he is looking forward to the upcoming BDP leadership retreat where the party will engage in a discussion to find ways of uniting the party and fostering reconciliation.

He said he will call a series of meetings in his constituency to apologise for defecting from the BDP. 'I will be accompanied by some party elders, to reinforce my words,' he said.

When queried if he intends to defend his constituency at the 2014 polls, Makgalemele responded in the affirmative, saying he has a duty to deliver as a representative of Shoshong.

'I want to stand for 2014, unless an opportunity springs up somewhere,' he said.

BMD interim deputy chairman, Botsalo Ntuane said Makgalemle's departure is a setback for the party. He however said they respect the legislator's decision although he has not explained to the BMD why he is ditching them.  'We recognise that in this we will suffer some setbacks along the way but it must be appreciated that the BMD is bigger than any individual.

There are thousands of Batswana who are neither MPs nor councillors who have rallied behind the BMD and to those people we remain committed, because we hold the solution to our country's problems,' he said. 

The leader called for BMD supporters to be calm and not direct hostilities towards Makgalemle for ditching the party. 'We want the nation to know that those who associate with the BMD must do so on the basis of clear conviction and conscience.

In the meantime we must direct our energies towards sustaining the momentum,' he said.