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Botswana: Moupo's Woes Will Not Affect BNF - Mohwasa
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
21 April 2008
Posted to the web 21 April 2008
Mqondisi Dube
Selebi-Phikwe
The personal problems of Botswana National Front (BNF) president, Otsweletse Moupo, will not affect the performance of the party, BNF spokesman Moeti Mohwasa has said.
He said Moupo has been vilified in various quarters but this will not affect the BNF performance in the 2009 general elections. He said former BNF president, the late Kenneth Koma was denigrated many times but this did not affect the performance of the party.
"Koma was accused of many things but that did not stop the organisation from growing. BNF is not about Moupo but about policies which make it grow," Mohwasa said.
He added that Koma was not popularised by the BNF only, but through his enemies and the same thing is happening to Moupo. Mohwasa said there was no politician who is above reproach.
"I am yet to come across a politician in this town (Phikwe) who is pure. There is no one who doesn't have skeletons in their closets. What we are concerned about is politics that affect people's lives," Mohwasa said.
Fears have been raised that Moupo's personal problems might affect the performance of the party in the coming elections. The BNF president has had a litany of problems ever since it was discovered that his law firm took two years to disburse political funds meant for the 2004 generals elections. He went to London and got stranded with no money in 2006 and soon after, his law firm was struck off the roll because its accounts were in a mess. He suffered more ignominy when he failed to respond to the State of the Nation Address and then got humiliated in the BNF primaries in his Gaborone West North constituency. He is now facing divorce proceedings from his wife. Mohwasa, who will contest in Moupo's previous constituency of Selebi-Phikwe West believes these problems will not affect their campaign.
The BNF spokesperson is likely to face current MP Kavis Kario of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president, Gilson Saleshando.
Mohwasa said his party is not concerned about the politics of mudslinging but wanted to focus on a people centred campaign.
"We have to look at how the past and present MPs have impacted on the lives of the people of Selebi-Phikwe. If you send someone to Parliament, they should leave behind a legacy," Mohwasa said.
He added that Selebi-Phikwe's representatives have relied too much on government for development rather than coming up with self-driven initiatives. Mohwasa said the area needs people driven initiatives to stimulate growth in a town struggling to diversify its economy away from mining. He said his campaign will focus on interacting with the electorate rather than expend energy on rallies. Mohwasa believes that politicians leave a vacuum by not regularly interacting with the people.
"I haven't concentrated much on rallies because it makes you aloof and probably that is what leads to voter apathy," Mohwasa said.
He said he has resided in Selebi-Phikwe for more than 30 years and says he understands the residents better. He is confident that his party will improve on Moupo's third finish behind Kario and Saleshando in 2004.
Mohwasa said he has met people from the BCP and the BDP, some of whom have dismissed his party as a no-hoper while others regret their 2004 choice. He added that some BDP members are outright complacent and he believes that primary elections will leave the ruling party divided.
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"What assisted us is that we had consensus candidates. BNF as a brand is still entrenched in this area. A win or lose is entirely in our hands," he said. Mohwasa noted that it was crucial to bring non-voters on board. "There is an element of despair and Phikwe people seem lost. They need someone to galvanise and re-energise them," he said.
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