Maele finally joins BPF

Having taken his time to decide on his next political destination, it seems former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Member of Parliament for Lerala-Maunatlala Prince Maele has now finally found a new home. It is alleged that Maele has chosen to join the opposition Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and will be unveiled during the party’s scheduled meeting in his former constituency.

While several efforts to get a comment from Maele that lasted two weeks could not bear fruits, it is said that he has already handed over his membership application letter to the BPF.

Maele has been in the political wilderness following his loss in the 2019 General Elections. The former Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services had contested the election as an independent candidate after he was slapped with a one-year suspension by the BDP disciplinary committee for allegedly uttering that he supported former president Ian Khama during a Kgotla meeting at Moremi village prior to the election. He was recorded saying “Ke eme tsii le Kgosikgolo”.

Maele appealed his suspension to President Mokgweetsi Masisi saying it was too harsh as it would bar him from contesting in the parliamentary elections and under the BDP at the general elections, but to no avail, as the President and his committee rejected his appeal.

After his appeal was rejected, Maele was heavily courted by the BPF. The party had sent a delegation of four national executive committee (NEC) members to recruit him to join the party. At the time, the BPF, a BDP breakaway party, had banked on him to stand under the party ticket.

However, he rejected the chance to join BPF and decided to contest as an independent candidate. He believed that he could lose some votes from sympathisers who were not aligned with the BPF if he joined the party. He went on to lose the constituency to the BDP’s Setlhabelo Modukanele after garnering 5,027 votes to the latter’s 6,166. Ever since then, Maele has been away from the political scene, but could now be preparing for a return with the next general election approaching in two years’ time. With the BPF having joined the opposition coalition, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), it now remains to be seen if Maele will be the party candidate in the upcoming general elections.

Commenting on the impending launch of Maele, the BPF spokesperson, Lawrence Ookeditse told Mmegi recently that Maele joined their ranks last year but will be duly officially launched at a rally at Lerala Primary School grounds.

“Maele has agreed with his supporters to join the BPF ahead of the 2024 General Elections. Yes, he is going to be welcomed to his knew political home together with a good number of his supporters,” said Ookeditse.