Molale's nomination heralds BDP's demise

President Ian Khama who is also leader of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place over the appointment of Eric Molale as Specially Elected Member of Parliament.

At press time the election for the nominated MP was set for Thursday (yesterday) morning. Khama had nominated Molale for the seat during the party’s Parliamentary Caucus held on Tuesday. The caucus allegedly turned chaotic when backbenchers and some ministers clashed with President Ian Khama over the nomination of Molale as Specially Elected MP.

Insiders have told this publication that sparks were flying during the meeting with one cabinet minister allegedly labelling Molale “incompetent”. The meeting had been called to nominate a member for the post of Specially Elected MP which was left vacant by Molale when he decided to contest the Goodhope-Mabule Constituency by-election in August this year. At the meeting Khama allegedly expressed his confidence in Molale as a hard worker, while the MPs found him to be a burden or liability for the ruling party’s electoral prospects.

Molale lost the by-election to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) candidate Kgosi Lotlamoreng II. Expectation this week was that when the second session of the eleventh Parliament started on Monday a Specially Elected MP would be announced but this was not to be. When the BDP MPs met on Tuesday it was not smooth sailing for President Khama. Botswana Guardian learns that when the president announced the name of Molale who happens to be one of his favourites, all hell broke loose. Backbenchers allegedly did not mince their words as they expressed their lack of faith in one of the president’s most trusted administrators.

“The MPs and even some ministers do not want him to be nominated. They believe he was given a chance and he failed to utilise it. They told the president that he should find someone else other than Molale. Even some of the cabinet members think the president is just overrating Molale. He does not relate well with other ministers. He is of course one of Khama’s favourites but majority of the members wanted someone else. These new BDP members are radical and stubborn. I do not know why they would want to annoy the president. Even though we agreed on Molale’s name at the end we do not know what they are thinking and how it will turn out because voting is done secretly, so anything can happen but we tried to convince them to give him a chance”, said a cabinet member.

The opposition MPs, UDC and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) are said to have settled for the president of the latter Dumelang Saleshando for nomination. Opposition Whip, Wynter Mmolotsi who is also MP for Francistown South said that they agreed that they should nominate Saleshando as a suitable candidate even though a final decision was not taken.

On the 24th of July 2015 in a dramatic twist of events, Molale was re-appointed as Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration a few hours after quitting the position. In a statement, Office of the President said Khama exercised his authority under Section 42 of the Constitution to reappoint Molale as Minister for Presidential Affairs. Under this appointment which was for the period of four months, Molale was not to attend parliament and all parliament business was therefore handled by his assistant Phillip Makgalemele.

In the Tuesday meeting it is said no one however suggested a name other than that of Molale. Khama is said to have asked the caucus whom they would prefer but no name came forth. The president according to those who attended the meeting dismissed claims by the MPs that he likes Molale, which is why he wanted him back. Khama is said to have indicated that he prefers Molale because he is a hard worker and a trustworthy member, and works well with him (Khama).

Another BDP MP who did not want to be named said Khama was told in the meeting that Molale’s relationship with the public servants puts the ruling party on slippery grounds. “His return will make things even worse. Public servants countrywide do not like him. We are now left with a mammoth task to take his fall with the public servants in our constituencies. Unless he mends his relationship with the public servants then some of our constituencies are at risk. We expressed our thoughts although democratically”, the MP said.

A senior minister revealed that the debacle has annoyed the president especially when some MPs suggested that Molale should be moved from the presidency ministry while they failed to offer an alternative portfolio. A new cabinet member (name known to this publication) is said to have also annoyed the president by allegedly suggesting that Molale is “useless and stubborn” and therefore does not deserve to be appointed. Given the temperature of the Tuesday meeting some ministers are feared to have rubbed the powers that be the wrong way with claims suggesting that if such behaviour continues a cabinet reshuffle would be coming very soon.

Government Chief Whip Liakat Kably who is also MP for Letlhakeng-Lephephe declined to comment saying the nomination issue is still an internal BDP matter and refused to be drawn into discussing the Tuesday caucus meeting.