Moeti Mohwasa has dismissed speculation that he is being positioned to replace Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, saying the claims are meant to divide the UDC.
BONGANI MALUNGA
Minister for State President, Defence and Security Moeti Mohwasa has dismissed claims that a long term political scheme is underway to position him as the future Vice President of the ruling coalition while sidelining current Vice President and Alliance for Progressives leader Ndaba Gaolathe.
Speculation surrounding Mohwasa’s political future intensified following his recent endorsement as a prospective parliamentary candidate for Selibe Phikwe East. Political commentators have suggested that the move could be part of a broader strategy to make him eligible for the vice presidency in the future.
CONSTITUTIONAL RULE
Under Botswana’s Constitution, the President can only appoint a Vice President from among elected Members of Parliament with constituency seats. Mohwasa currently serves as a Specially Elected Member of Parliament, making him ineligible for the position at present.
Speaking during an interview with Kealeboga Dihutso on Duma FM on Monday, Mohwasa dismissed the speculation as politically motivated and designed to create friction within the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition.
POLITICAL RUMOURS
He argued that the rumours were being spread by individuals seeking to weaken relations between the Botswana National Front and the Alliance for Progressives, two key partners within the coalition government.
“We know that the spread of such rumours is deliberate. Some people are planting this as a means to cause divisions between the BNF and AP,” Mohwasa explained.
HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP
Mohwasa maintained that he enjoys a healthy working relationship with Gaolathe and said there was no basis for suggestions that the two leaders were on a collision course over succession politics.
The minister’s remarks addressed growing political chatter over his rising profile within government. Political rivals have frequently pointed to the extensive security detail assigned to Mohwasa, arguing that it resembles that of a head of state or deputy president rather than an ordinary cabinet minister.
HIGHER OFFICE
Speaking at a political rally in Selibe Phikwe last weekend, Botswana Congress Party president Dumelang Saleshando interpreted the heightened security presence as a sign that Mohwasa is being groomed for higher office, a suggestion Mohwasa has consistently rejected.