An old insult thrown at Batawana Paramount Chief, Kgosi Tawana Moremi, almost eight years ago by then youthful ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) leader, Alec Seametso, evokes bitter memories of spite and disrespect for the Batawana royal house and party elders in Maun believe it is the reason victory keeps eluding the party during parliamentary elections.
Last Saturday, at a luncheon organised by Regional Party Chairman Reaboka Mbulawa, for party veterans under the theme “Operation Tsosoloso,” elders expressed concern when they were asked to speak and motivate others as the country readies for next year’s general elections.
A concerned elder, Kereng Mogalakwe, did not mince his words when he told Mbulawa that the party lost potential voters after Seametso bad-mouthed their tribal leaders. “We are counting numbers and trying to balance figures, but I refuse to say Reaboka (Mbulawa) lost in 2014 because he was standing against the Chief. No, I won’t say those words, but when we were approaching elections there was a Mongwaketse boy who stood up and uttered very bad words though the microphone.”
Mogalakwe who was seemingly emotional despite the passage of time, had vivid recollections of the Seametso incident and reminded the gathering that the amount of pain and disappointment she got after hearing such insults is immeasurable, “Mafoko a nne aa bua a nkgopile a be a tsosa le kgosi Letsholathebe a bua ka gagwe! That is what I am saying right now, ha go le kgopisa le intshwareleng but that is the truth that will set us free mo boherehereng jo bo dirwang.”
Mogalakwe further noted that when the next rally was taken to Maun West, she remained in Maun East because she could clearly see that her party was done for. “I told them when they went to Maun West that there was no point, poor Mbulawa had lost already. I saw it that moment, at that rally behind Ema-Re-Je. It happened because of foul mouths!”’
Mogalakwe called on her fellow democrats to choose words wisely when they campaign as bad mouthing can terribly backfire as it happened in 2014 and is still haunting them to date.
“Just look at what we have done to this wonderful son of ours, sinning against others has a big price and its curse can be inherited by our children and generations to come, so stop sinning against others and let us work together in truth,” Mogalakwe noted.
Prior to 2014 general elections when Mbulawa was standing against Batawana paramount chief who then was in the opposition camp after quitting BDP, Seametso was quoted shaming Tawana and attacking his family and private life at a freedom square in Maun.
Elders therefore cautioned Mbulawa to be alert to the kind of talk and attitude of the people he brings closer and work with as they can help or destroy his dream of returning the current four out of five constituencies in the North West region into the BDP grip. With exception of Chobe, all other constituencies in the region are under the Umbrella For Democratic Change (UDC).
“We have seen the need to go back to the crossroads so we can figure out where we lost the right path, hence we have called you. I want BDP to win all the seven constituencies and we can only do that with the help of you. We need your guidance as you have battled through this political field and triumphed,” explained Mbulawa.
The seven constituencies include newly introduced ones by the delimitation commission. North West District has three constituencies namely, Maun West, East and North while Okavango District has Ngami, Okavango East and West.
