Sebina joins BDP F/town South primaries race
FRANCISTOWN: Former TAFIC chairperson, Carlos Sebina is reportedly interested in contesting the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) parliamentary primary elections in Francistown South.
Sebina is also a member of the Botswana Football Association (BFA) national executive committee (NEC). Should the development come to pass, Sebina will be joining other politicians who have used their affiliation to football as a springboard to active politics. The primaries are billed for next year. Sebina will be joining a growing number of BDP activists who have expressed desire to contest the primaries in the constituency. Former Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) chairperson Solly Reikeletseng and nominated councillor Modiri Lucas are among people linked to primaries in the constituency.
Lucas has always been open about his desire to contest the primaries in Francistown South while Reikeletseng has not publicly declared his candidacy. This is despite growing indications that he is readying himself for a triumph at the primaries. In 2018, Reikeletseng shunned calls for him to contest the primaries although he had initially showed interest.
This week, Sebina who is a Director of Destiny Car Rentals, would not confirm or deny that he intends to contest the BDP primary elections next year. “At the moment my focus is on my charity activities. If at all I am interested in challenging for the BDP primaries I will make an announcement. The party is also yet to call for applications from those interested in contesting the primaries,” Sebina told Mmegi.
He added: “Of course there are people who are lobbying me to contest but contesting for political office is a very complex undertaking. It requires serious introspection and consultation.”
In recent months, Sebina organised a few charitable activities in the city, among them a football tournament. He recently announced that next year he will host a marathon. There is widespread speculation that Sebina is using his charitable activities to vilely drive his campaign for the primaries.
“I have been a resident of Francistown for the better part of my life. My charity activities are aligned to my goal of giving back to the community that has supported me and my business over the years.
They are not linked to my perceived desire to challenge for the primary elections,” he told Mmegi.
The BDP has struggled to retain Francistown South since 2009. Incumbent MP Wynter Mmolotsi has twice retained the constituency representing the opposition Alliance for Progressives (AP). He initially won the constituency in 2009 when he was still with the ruling party. He then won it with Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) in 2014. He would then retain it with the AP at the 2019 General Election.