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Botswana: 'Nomadic' Thipe Deserts BCP
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
21 April 2008
Posted to the web 21 April 2008
Onalenna Modikwa
Selebi-Phikwe
'Political nomad', Super Thipe of Selebi-Phikwe is on the move once again. The politician has deserted the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) allegedly without informing the party leadership.
Thipe told Monitor that there is no need to inform BCP officials because the party leadership in Selebi-Phikwe does not want him. He claimed that he had been barred from participating in party activities in the area. He denied allegations that he has defected to the main opposition party, the Botswana National Front (BNF). But he confirmed that he will contest the general elections in his Botshabelo Central ward. Thipe won the seat through the BCP but left to join the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). He returned to the BCP but now he has left again. "I have now left the BCP because they have never valued my membership, hence they barred me from contesting the primary elections. I was accused of being a BDP member but what surprises me most is that they gave me subscription forms to fill and I submitted an application form to stand."
Thipe and Shine Ngakaetsile were vetted out from contesting the party primaries. Ngakaetsile took the matter to court but failed to get a reprieve. "It was an act of sabotage on our side and the party vetting policy only affected me and Shine of all the candidates in the country," Thipe said. He stated that he worked tirelessly and recruited many people to the party but he has no alternative but to leave because he is not wanted. "Unbecoming attitude and characters at the BCP troubled me a lot." He said he has not yet decided whether to join the ruling party or the BNF. "I was not chased away from the BDP so I can rejoin if I wish but I am still considering my options. I have also realised that there is no future in opposition parties," he said. Thipe reportedly left the ruling party unhappy because he was not allocated a ward to contest after a year as a councillor. At the time, he accused the BDP of poor administration.
He said he cannot support Nzwaligwa Nzwaligwa who is the BCP parliamentary candidate for Selebi-Phikwe East constituency because he is his enemy. "Nzwaligwa is my enemy. I was supporting Shine but now that he has been vetted out who else can I support?".
Thipe stated that he is busy convincing those he had recruited into the BCP not to vote for Nzwaligwa. "They can support any independent candidate instead of Nzwaligwa," he said.
Thipe believes that Nzwaligwa had a hand in vetting him and Shine out of the primaries. He said BNF members go to him day and night to recruit him but he has asked them to give him time to decide. "But I am going to contest in Botshabelo Central either under one party or as an independent candidate."
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When contacted for comment, Nzwaligwa said he was not aware of Thipe's move. "I have no comment for now until we are officially informed," he said.
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