• Believes some politicians after power

• Will contest elections in 2013

NE NEWS
NE reporter

Former cabinet minister Oliphant Mfa has said that he remains much more interested in politics despite losing Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Tonota North primary elections over the weekend.
Mfa was expecting to use the Tonota North Bulela Ditswe primaries to make a huge comeback to the political arena, but was relegated to fourth position after posting a paltry 379 votes. The youthful Fidelis Molao won the elections by 778 votes, followed by dark-horse Onkabetse Daniel with 534 votes, and former PS, Lewis Malikongwa with 521 votes.
Mfa’s loss has since raised suggestions that his political career, which began more than two decades ago, is now ending. This week Mfa was quick to dismiss the suggestions, insisting that despite his loss, his star in politics is still shining bright. “I am a veteran and a political animal. I have been a BDP member for the past 25 years now and I am not going anywhere. I am still going to play an active role in politics in or outside politics, you can be rest assured of that,” he said.
Mfa’s optimism is premised on the fact that he has never ‘lost’ an election in all his political life. “The truth should be told I have never lost an election in my life. What happened over the weekend and in Nata/Gweta constituency two years ago were circuses. The whole election process (in Tonota North primaries) was flawed and that is why some people were declared winners while in actual fact the elections were rigged. The elections were not free and fair and that is why I didn’t accept the results,” he said.
Mfa said that the same could be said about his infamous loss to Ryner Makosha in the 2008 Bulela Ditswe primaries in Nata/Gweta constituency. He said that in Nata/Gweta constituency there was massive rigging and his opponent won mainly because he connived with the opposition to deny him victory. “Some of the people who engineered my downfall in Nata/Gweta have also told me that the reason why I lost was precisely because they cheated me. They have told me all these things because they are my friends,” said Mfa.
Mfa added that he is a politician who likes peace. “Ga ke rate modumo. Even after I lost the elections unfairly in Nata/Gweta constituency two years ago, I never threw tantrums. I accepted that I was cheated and let sleeping dogs lie. If you remember well I never even wrote a letter to the party challenging the Nata/Gweta results. I did so because I wanted peace to prevail in the party, but I knew very well that I was cheated. I have the evidence,” said Mfa.
Mfa also added, “I like this party and President Ian Khama. I like his leadership style and I don’t want to be seen as if I am fighting the party. Fighting the party would be tantamount to humiliating the president. They can cheat me as much as they want but one day I would be vindicated,” said Mfa. He added that the trend in politics these days is that political novices use all the tricks in the book to rig the elections in their favour. He said most of them have no choice but to rig the elections because livelihoods depend on positions of power. “Some of them left their jobs to join politics as such they have to make sure that they win elections at all costs in order to survive. Ke bo matlhogojwane, ba rata go ja,” he said.
As a full time politician Mfa does not depend on a political position to survive. “I am a farmer and doing well in that field as well. I don’t have to be in parliament to earn a living, as it is the case with some politicians today. To me politics is all about serving Batswana and I have been doing that exceptionally well for many years as an MP and minister,” he said.
Mfa also said that one of the reasons why some people have been able to rig the elections over the years has to do with the weak BDP electoral system. The party has to consider hiring independent bodies or companies to run the Bulela Ditswe elections, he said. An independent body would result in the reduction of the number of post election complaints,” he said. “These power hungry and greedy politicians have found a loophole in the BDP electoral system and they have been more successful in rigging the elections. I can tell you there are some people around the country who lost the elections only because these greedy individuals rigged them.”
Mfa’s parting shot is that those who believe that he is finished in politics should wait and see. “After this I am going to my farm and later to the people. I will be standing for the elections in 2013. I am still to decide whether to stand in Nata/Gweta or Tonota North. I will decide soon,” he said.