BFA chief to contest BDP primaries

LEKOPANYE MOOKETS
Correspondent | Friday July 11, 2008 00:00

 

First, Makgalemele will slug it out with Shoshong Member of Parliament (MP) Duke Elflock and other candidates in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primary elections and later defend his BFA post against former BFA president, David Fani.

It remains to be seen whether Makgalemele would win the two bruising battles.  It also remains doubtful whether he would put on two hats if he could win the two positions. 

Makgalemele had contested the BDP primaries in 1999, but was defeated by Lefhoko. In 2003, he did not contest the BDP primaries. However, he would be trying his luck again this year. He was one of the applicants who were given the green light by the BDP to contest the primaries.

In contesting against Lefhoko, Makgalemele would be facing an uphill battle because the Shoshong legislator has been one of the most outstanding MPs. Lefhoko has always been known to be vocal in parliament. In fact last year, he was one of the MPs who were reprimanded by the BDP for being outspoken against government policies.

When he took over this year, President Ian Khama appointed Lefhoko as the Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry. He has also served as the assistant Minister of Education in the past but was later stripped of his position. Last year Lefhoko accused Makgalemele of meddling in his constituency. However, he said, Makgalemele was not a threat to him.

Makgalemele said it was quite challenging to contest in two elections. 'But I am confident that I have done very well as the president of the BFA. Collectively we have done well as a team and we could win again.' As for his political campaign, Makgalemele said his experience as a development practitioner would become handy. 

He said although preparing for two elections is taxing, he has always been a hard worker.
Makgalemele said the issue of soccer officials holding political office was discussed during one of the BFA forums. He said there are some BFA officials who are councillors and others who are parliamentary candidates. 

It was agreed during the meeting that BFA officials could hold political office only up to the position of an MP. Makgalemele said if a BFA official has been appointed a cabinet minister, he/she would have to relinquish the BFA post. 

When contesting the BDP primaries, Makgalemele is expected to use both his experience as a football administrator and a civil society activist to his advantage. In the past, Makgalemele has served as an official of the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO). He has also worked as the executive director of the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) before he joined the corporate sector.  

Makgalemele is not the first sports administrator to aspire for political office. Other former sports officials, who joined politics include Boyce Sebetela, who served as the MP for Palapye. Sebetela has since resigned his parliamentary post and joined Debswana. Before he went into politics, Sebetela was the president of the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC).
Vice President Mompati Merafhe also served as president of the BNSC.