Modubule’s roller-coaster political experience

“Following the BNF split of 1998, which birthed the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), I was approached by Dr Koma to rejoin the party to which request I obliged.

“Although PUSO had joined the BNF as a group member, there was once again controversy as some people complained that I was not a full member of the BNF. This is despite the fact that, PUSO was a group member of the BNF”, Modubule stated.

According to him, those against him contesting under the BNF recruited Tshimologo Boitumelo to challenge him in 1999. Boitumelo lost the primaries to Modubule who went on to win the constituency.

Koosaletse had left the BNF and became one of the founding MPs of the BCP. Modubule went on to clinch the constituency in 2004 under the BNF ticket. With his apparent propensity to attract trouble in the Moupo-Letshabo conflict, he became a casualty when he was expelled from the party for supporting the Letshabo faction.

The other casualties were Robert Molefhabangwe, Dr Elmon Tafa and Akanyang Magama, among others. The group was accused of bringing strife to the BNF when they demanded for an elective congress in 2008 as opposed to a conference which was the position of the Otsweletse Moupo leadership, which, according to Modubule, feared losing to the Letshabo faction.

Modubule would contest Lobatse as an independent candidate in 2009 following his expulsion from the party and prevailed only to lose in 2014 to Sadique Kebonang of the BDP after joining the BMD which was part of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).

Although happy at the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) where he is chairman, Modubule notes that, there was an understanding between the BNF and him that, after winning the 2009 general elections, he would return to the party.

“I applied to the BNF for membership after the elections but gave up on them when they ignored my overtures”, Modubule said.

Asked when he intends to retire, Modubule retorted:

“For me there is no retirement. I am a political animal and will never ever retire from politics. I however, will not be contesting for any constituency but will serve in any party leadership structure if the membership so desires”.