Khama’s harsh critic on U-turn

I’m not bigger than the organisation – Wynter Mmolotsi, one of the most vocal critics of former President Ian Khama and the UDC is now ready to work with them  

·         I have forgiven everyone

·        I tackle issues not people

The outspoken MP for Francistown South Wynter Mmolotsi, who in the past has declared that he doesn’t hate former President Ian Khama but abhors him, has said that he has to tone down for the sake of his organisation – the Alliance for Progressives.

The recent announcement by the opposition that they have decided to work together in the upcoming bye-elections with hope of having a coalition in the 2024 General Election has set tongues wagging among members of Alliance for Progressives.

Last weekend the three parties – Alliance for Progressives (AP), Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) – announced that they have started talks on cooperation that former speaker of the National Assembly Dr Margaret Nasha will chair the forum.

AP – a breakaway of Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) – traces its political pains to Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) which was under the leadership of Lieutenant General (R) Ian Khama. Some have even accused Khama’s then Government of having a hand in the death of their founding president Gomolemo Motswaledi who died in a car accident a few months before the 2014 general elections. This has not been proved as the outcome of an investigation the party launched has not been made public yet.

In an interview with this publication, Mmolotsi, the AP Vice President for AP who is known to be uncomfortable with working with former President Khama’s party Botswana Patriotic Party said he cannot be bigger than the organisation.

“My feelings cannot supersede that of the organisation because individuals come and go but the organisation will still be there,” he reasoned.

Mmolotsi was one the founding members of the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) offspring Botswana Movement for Democracy after they were expelled from the party by then party President Khama.

“I have forgiven everyone who has wronged me in the past and moved on with life and even the way I debate in parliament has changed, I discuss and debate issues not persons like I used to do in the past,” revealed the self-declared repentant Mmolotsi.

Sources within the AP have revealed that Mmolotsi was leading the group that was against the AP working with Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) which has BPF due to the political scars they are still bearing from former President Khama. “We should understand that Khama is not BPF and I am not AP. We cannot base the aspirations of an organisation on individual’s feelings,” he said.

In the last session of Parliament, Mmolotsi shocked many when he didn’t join other opposition MPs who walked out of Parliament in protest over the suspension of Leader of Opposition Dumelang Saleshando from attending parliamentary proceedings.

He didn’t even attend a joint press briefing by legislators from UDC and BPF. Mmolotsi has been one of the fiercest critics of former President Khama during his presidency even when they were in the same political party – the BDP.

The fiery legislator was part of Barata Phathi faction that swept the seats at the BDP Kanye elective Congress known as ‘kgola disana’ where he was voted as deputy secretary general.