Opponents thrive on Kavindama's demise?

KETO SEGWAI
Staff Writer | Friday July 11, 2008 00:00

 

Obviously in keeping with the treasured culture of 'botho', even one's political opponent cannot celebrate his opponent's demise.

Prior to his death, 'JP', as Kavindama was fondly known, had just made a dramatic comeback to the national political stage by emphatically winning the endorsement of his party, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). He beat his rival in the party's parliamentary primary elections, Haindongo Haindongo by 2,506 votes to 481. That kind of turn-out, and the margins that go with, it are generally considered a feat in primaries. 

To complicate matters, Kavindama was a long time Member of Parliament for Okavango, after ousting Bailang Salepito's short-lived reign in the constituency. Kavindama however lost the seat to the Botswana Democractic Party (BDP)'s Vistor Moruti in the last general elections of 2004. Analysts, however, have always attributed that loss to the delimitation exercise that preceded that poll.

Moruti, who had previously tried unsuccessfully to dislodge Kavindama from the seat, must have been a worried man. Moruti must have also been mindful of the close margin of 251 votes that separated him from Kavindama.

Kavindama's passing away could have undoubtedly given Moruti the much-needed breather to concentrate on the business at hand, that is the looming party primary elections scheduled for 26 July.  

On Moruti's mind, however, there is still that recently hatched creature: the cooperation of the main opposition parties in the constituency, the BCP/Botswana Alliance (BAM) alliance. That cooperation could amount to nothing in other parts of the country, but in the Ngamiland region, where BAM is a political force, it could spell disaster. For instance, in the last general elections, the combined vote of BAM and BCP eclipsed that of Moruti by a margin of 330 votes.

Moruti is dismissive of the BAM/BCP pact though, describing it as not a threat to him.  'It's not like everybody in those parties is satisfied about the cooperation. Individuals joined their respective parties, not this new creation. I doubt if people were well informed about the cooperation project. BAM has actually never been a factor here. People here vote for an individual and not a party'.

He maintains that the developmental efforts he has expedited in the constituency will stand him in good stead. Moruti's challenger in the BDP primaries, Mbaha Kambimba also discounted the effectiveness of the pact. 'This cooperation is presumptuous. It assumes everybody will fall in line. BAM and BCP are different entities.'

Right now the two candidates are focused on their primary elections. Moruti, who has previously served a term as a specially-elected MP, is not taking the immediate challenge lightly. He postures that 'as a politician in a multi party democracy everyone has a right to contest elections - be it primaries or general.' 

He reckons that his opponent might offer alternative ways of doing things. But he is quick to add that 'my only worry is that I doubt whether my challenger is conversant with the region's challenges. One cannot learn about the people's problems while in parliament. He had long left the region and he grew up and worked outside the region. He is basically an outsider and his motives are suspect.'

Moruti also alluded to a bigger challenge being poised by the opposition when it comes to the general elections. 'Our opponents are well-versed in issues pertaining to the region.  I therefore do not know how prepared my challenger is for that final battle'.

He intends to work very hard 'to eliminate the opposition parties' presence in the constituency 'ka gore ga bana mosola''.

On his part, Kambimba, while acknowledging the disadvantages of challenging an opponent who enjoys all the trappings of incumbency, strongly feels that he could  still work for him. 'Surely, I could be new in this area politically, but I have been active in the BDP both at regional level and the party's national structures. What I am certain about now is that our people need change. Although I may be new, people may look at me as an agent of that change'. 

He cites among his political credentials, the effective management of primaries campaign for Kitso Mokaila back in 2003 in Barolong, and the successful leading campaigns in the two Selebi Phikwes. He ultimately worked in Kavis Kario's office until his resignation early this year. He discloses that he has been part of the BDP leadership training project known as Kgomo ya Motswana. 

On charges of being an outsider in the constituency who cannot be conversant with the region's challenges, the Kajaja born Kambimba explained that: 'It is a totally uninformed reflection of me. It implies that I am ignorant of what is happening in my home area.  How else could I just stand up and say I want to represent our people. As a BDP member I know all the challenges that the country is facing, particularly the Okavango region'.

Kambimba elaborated further on the threat posed by the opposition in the constituency: 'BDP is a very big institution. But we cannot take the opposition lightly, especially that they have been wounded by the death of Kavindama'.

He surmises that the BDP can only lose the constituency if it fields an inappropriate candidate. 'And I believe in the availability of a BDP challenger in my person as being the candidate to ensure we win in a big way,' said Kambimba, who comes across as a bundle of turbo-charged self-confidence, that one often finds in the men of cloth. And he is one. He once served as an Adventist reverend for nine years. He holds a degree in Theology and Computer Science.

'The only setback we can do to the BDP is to give our members an individual yo ba sa mmatleng. My feeling is that if the BDP gives the people Moruti, then they'll vote for the opposition,' he said in jest.

However, Moruti is confident that his re-electability will be based on his record of the past five years. He ticks off his achievements as the pushing for the construction of the Mohembo bridge which has long been in the pipeline; and the planned senior secondary school in Shakawe (proudly points out that he convinced government to build a new senior instead of upgrading a junior community one). 

Moruti also disclosed that he has been instrumental in bringing planned developments that include a library at Shakawe, electrification of some villages, a primary hospital, a prison at Sepopa, and roads connecting all villages of the inner delta. He adds that the opening of a Barclays bank branch has also been most welcome.

Moruti also claimed credit for the improved working relations within the tourism sector in the area. Relations between tourist operators and their employees have been tainted with allegations of naked racism. 'I worked very hard to improve on those relations,' he says contentedly.

While acknowledging the planned developments for the area, Kambimba feels in terms of overall infrastructaral developments 'the people of the Okavango feel left behind.

'Admittedly the government has done a lot in the past few years in both the health and education. But there is an acute shortage of personnel such as nurses, teachers, agricultural demonstrators, veterinary officers and others.'

Kambimba maintains that due to the poor infrastructure in the region the majority of public servants are reluctant to be posted there. 'Infrastructural development cannot only improve service delivery in the public sector but will certainly spur economic development in the region'.

He cites the example of Kasane where infrastructure is developed. 'Because of that Kasane is now highly developed with many hotels and even an international airport. The Okavango has a high potential for tourism development, but we are unable to exploit this due mainly to lack of proper infrastructure'.

Kambimba says the party is worried about these issues. He also decried what he termed the wrong mindset within the public service. 'Children from this area are scattered all over the country where they serve diligently, but people from other areas are not doing so here.  Ba na le go re lebela kwa tlase - They tend to despise our people'. 

Those are some of the issues he intends to work on should he make it as Okavango representative.

At this stage the BDP duo are only certain of who to meet on the Botswana National Front (BNF) side  during the general election. The BNF, who Mmegi could not interview at the time of going to press, is Benson Dibebe. In the wake of the death of Kavindama, the BCP is yet to nominate a parliamentary candidate though Haindongo Haindongo and Mbathera Ngundura are mentioned as possible candidates.