Tonota North candidates seek boost in Ikalanga names

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Wednesday August 25, 2010 00:00

It seems the candidates' names have become a factor that could possibly influence one to be endorsed in a political race.

People have started treading carefully to ensure that they make the right choices even in the use of their names to remind potential voters who they are. One of the candidates has been forced by circumstances to revert to the use of his Ikalanga name in the campaign material being distributed in the vacant Tonota North.

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) parliamentary hopeful has officially registered as Fidelis MacDonald Molao. His opposite number, Botswana Congress Party (BCP) candidate, Dr Habaudi Njiro Hobona, has officially registered in that more elaborate name.

When Molao realised that his first two names were English, he recently decided to bring in a different name when the party made his campaign posters.

The idea was to neutralise the concern reportedly also raised by his campaign team. The name also resonates well with the constituents.

To those in the know, as a 'campaign gimmick', Molao brought on board his Sekalaka name 'Mmilili', which roughly translates to 'representative of the people'.

It's believed that with his other name, he is simply trying to gain some political mileage. He also wants to depict that he belongs to the constituency where Sekalaka is predominantly spoken. Although he has an explanation for adding another name to the list of his other names, it is apparently crucial that in a dog-eat-dog campaign like the campaigns for the Tonota North by-election, he 'localises' even the names.

To Molao, it was crucial for him to adjust to the demands of the local situation for fear that he could possibly be punished.When quizzed about the addition of a Sekalaka name he responded: ' This is my name and it's also official. When my parents registered me for primary education, they preferred to use the names Fidelis and MacDonald'.

He says Mmilili is a name that is used at home but he acknowledges that on his Omang, the parents have used Fidelis and MacDonald.

'The use of the name Mmilili is another way of trying to identify myself closely with the constituents as I am popularly known by this name in Mathangwane and the neighbouring villages which make up the whole area'.

He says Fidelis is a name derived from the word Fidelity that means faithfulness and loyalty. 'My mother, a loyal member of the Roman Catholic Church, preferred the name Fidelis since there was a church elder or Father of the same name. So you see now that Fidelis is my Christian name'.

His father whom he credits with the 'foresight in detecting at a tender age that I would become a leader' preferred the name Mmilili, he says.

On the other hand, Hobona's first two names 'Habaudi and Njiro' have their important meanings. Roughly translated, 'Habaudi' is an Ikalanga name meaning 'they don't like you'. But for Hobona, she says the constituents are comfortable with her as their representative.

Her other name Njiro, means: 'It's a bird'.

She says the bird is popular, particularly with herdsmen as she says it gives them tips for possible danger that lies ahead.

'For instance, a big snake appearing around the cattle, the Njiro bird will warn the herdsmen,' she says, adding that the Njiro bird will never allow its turf to be disturbed. 'I speak out when things happen and I reason. I get to understand why people get to disturb my turf,' Hobona points out.