Moatlhodi finally gets his reward
After crossing the floor from the Umbrella For Democratic Change (UDC) to Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) last year, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tonota, Pono ‘PPP’ Moatlhodi finally got his reward. He was sworn in as the new deputy Speaker of the National Assembly yesterday.
Moatlhodi replaces Member of Parliament (MP) for Mochudi East, Mabuse Pule, who took over as the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. Moatlhodi was the only nominated candidate for the position. Therefore, there was no need for the election process that was to be decided through a secret ballot.
Following his automatic election, Moatlhodi takes the familiar role of deputy Speaker. This is the same position he once held during the 10th Parliament, which was from 2009 to 2014. Before taking over, Moatlhodi acted as the deputy Speaker on numerous occasions while Pule was on sick leave. With this promotion, it means the Tonota legislator will get to preside over Parliamentary sessions in the absence of the Speaker, Phandu Skelemani.
After Moatlhodi was sworn in, Skelemani described the Tonota legislator as ‘an old horse’, who will be useful and an added advantage to the leadership in the National Assembly.
“I have known Moatlhodi for many years. He has been here before. I welcome him with both hands and we are looking forward to his help,” said Skelemani. Other MPs also congratulated Moatlhodi on his new appointment. “Pelo tshweu boela mannong, mmatla sa gagwe ose bone,” uttered Leader of Opposition, Dumelang Saleshando, who was suggesting that
Moatlhodi was being rewarded for decamping from the UDC.
Before defecting to the BDP, Moatlhodi had fallen out with the UDC vice president, Saleshando. At the time, Moatlhodi had been suspended from the position of Opposition Chief Whip since he had a pending case at the Francistown High Court. The Tonota legislator then left the UDC arguing that the opposition coalition MPs had humiliated him by failing to communicate with him about his suspension. Moatlhodi did not resolve the feud as he instead opted to re-join the ruling party.
Currently, the outspoken legislator is fighting a case in which he is accused of acting in concert to assault a 12-year-old boy on January 30, 2019, in his own constituency. The BDP took back Moatlhodi as a man accused of a crime and is now appointed the deputy Speaker. He also crossed the floor at a time when the BDP MPs were tabling a floor-crossing Bill that sought to prevent an MP or councillor from quitting their party for another, without going for election.