BNF’s Motshegwa finally gets the nod
The Botswana National Front (BNF) Central Committee has confirmed that its Secretary General Ketlhalefile Motshegwa will be a parliamentary candidate for Mmadinare constituency representing the party under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
In a letter to party structures, BNF Deputy Secretary General Nelson Ramaotwana stated that the Central Committee at its meeting of 10th April 2024, resolved to field Motshegwa as parliamentary candidate of Mmadinare Constituency.
“Noting that the Secretary General will be busy coordinating the party throughout the country for BNF to bring MPs and Councillors for UDC, and also programme at UDC as member of NEC, members are encouraged to assist Mmadinare Constituency in the campaign for the Secretary General,” Ramaotwana appealed.
Motshegwa got the nod for the constituency after one of the UDC contracting partners, Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), withdrew from the coalition. Mmadinare was allocated to the BPF during constituency allocation by the partners. BPF this week unveiled its members who will be participating in the party’s primary elections to choose a parliamentary candidate for the 2024 general election.
Initially Motshegwa was left with an egg on his face after having worked the ground at the constituency only for it to be given to the BPF. He was also said to have paved way for Alliance for Progressives (AP) President Ndaba Gaolathe at Gaborone Bonnington South.
Motshegwa contested Gaborone Bonnington South under the UDC during the 2019 general elections. He moved to Mmadinare at the time when the UDC was negotiating with AP. His failure to have Mmadinare allocated to the BNF for him to contest was allegedly due to his fallout with his president, Duma Boko.
Adv. Boko and Motshegwa once clashed over resolutions of a meeting which removed UDC Head of Publicity as one of BNF representatives at the UDC as he was no longer the BNF Secretary General but Motshegwa.
After having his dreams shattered with the constituency being allocated to the BPF, Motshegwa statedin a face-saving gesture that he voluntarily joined the BNF because of its political ideology and programatic framework in pursuit and quest for social justice, economic liberation and empowerment of Batswana.
“I am now a leader in the party amongst the collective to implement the strategic goals of the organisation. So in an organisation like ours to be a representative in parliament or council you must be deployed, you don’t deploy yourself, its’ not some kind of e entitlement or aristocratic arrangement.
“You must be a disciplined cadre who put the interests of the party and agenda foremost before yours, subscribe to collective responsibility and bigger picture no matter how defined and strong your personal interests are.
“On that note therefore as to whether I will stand for parliamentary election or not is not much of significance, what is fundamental is the principles, ideals behind the agenda pursued by UDC and its contracting parties for the 2nd Republic to be attained and accomplished within our lifetime”, he said.
He explained that his duty as BNF SG in this election campaigns will be to coordinate a strategic programme for BNF to deliver all constituencies allocated to it, and will surely deliver that as their contribution to change of government.