The idiom ,“a cat has nine lives”, aptly captures Majaga’s political career. Love or loathe him, Majaga is probably the only politician since the advent of democracy in Botswana to face serious criminal charges for the most part of his political journey, especially after he became a Member of Parliament (MP). A controversial figure, Majaga’s political journey is littered with successes and challenges, mostly politico-legal, but he managed to ride out the storm. During the primary elections in Nata over the weekend, Majaga’ supporters strongly maintained that his legal woes were politically motivated. Majaga’s ardent supporters maintain - without evidence - that the powers that be at Tsholetsa House are the instigators of his legal problems after he was acquitted and discharged of all the charges that he was charged with. However, they vowed that come rain or sunshine, they will always stand by their “man” and give him their votes. The supporters even accused the powers that be at the BDP of wanting to impose their own preferred candidates over them.
The BDP, including President Mokgweetsi Masisi, has on numerous occasions denied allegations that the BDP leadership is favouring some candidates over others. The BDP has always maintained that its leadership is politically neutral. To the uninitiated, in the past, Masisi even rebuked all BDP activists who said that they were his preferred choices and had his backing during political campaigns. Many things can be said about Majaga but it is important to walk down memory lane about some of Majaga’s alleged brushes with the law. In 2017, the State alleged that Majaga and his co-accused, Shadreck Mochabange, Tshokolo Mochabange, Semphete Malindi and Goletswang Mpule were found in possession of beef and hide on August 16, 2006. Majaga has on numerous occasions cried out that the charges against him were politically motivated adding that they always resurfaced when elections are near. Then, Majaga’s attorney, Oratile Konne, expressed misgivings about the delay in finalising the matter. “Eleven years has passed since the accused were alleged to have committed the offence, but they are yet to be arraigned,” Konne said. Majaga and his co-accused were later acquitted and discharged of the charge. In June 2020, Majaga was embroiled in yet another political firestorm. The State alleged that Majaga defiled a 16-year-old minor between September 2019 and May 2020, at Malelejwe cattle post, a settlement in the Nata-Gweta constituency. He was later acquitted and discharged of the charge. After the charge of defilement was laid against Majaga, in June 2020, a high powered delegation led by Vice President Slumber Tsogwane went to Nata to try to get to the bottom of Majaga’s alleged defilement matter. The BDP subsequently suspended Majaga for 60 days to enable him to clear his name in the wake of the charges levelled against him. “As a party that respects and upholds the rule of law, the BDP will allow Majaga to deal with the charges without prejudice and allow for completion of the process of the law,” reads the statement from the party then.
