Nyambe's 'time has come'

But the chocolate-coloured and fresh-faced Thabo Nyambe is none of that.
He is a politician to the core and could be swapping the casual wear for three piece suits when he takes his seat in the Chambers of the Francistown City Council under the ticket of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) come 2009 general elections.

He wishes to stand for a ward in Gerald Estates where his popularity among both young and elderly is at an all time high.

He sauntered into the Mmegi offices to announce his intentions that he was not only going to compete for the Kanana Ward council seat at the FCC in the coming general elections, but also to make it known that he will never be in the shadows of other people again or stand on the sidelines as he feels his time has come.

'I have done a lot of things in my young age. I have been involved in a number of youth initiatives, including being the current chairman of the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC) in the Kanana ward. Before, I was chairman of Pledge 25-a youth organisation at Gerald Estates that advocates donation of blood.

'I am also the coordinator of Lebone-ke-lesedi theatre group still in Gerald. Since I was a youngster, I was in the BCP choir at Gerald. I think my time has come to emerge from the shadows,' he says determinedly.

Another issue that makes him aspire for political office is that he feels he is a responsible person despite his youthful age and that he wants to be an inspiration for other youths in Gerald and Botswana at large who also aspire for responsible positions in society.

Nyambe, who is a fraternal twin with Thabang, a businessman currently based in Serowe, was born and bred in Francistown. They are second born. He did both his primary and junior secondary education Tlhalogang in Borolong on the outskirts of Francistown.

For his senior secondary education, he did it through correspondence with Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL).

Currently, he is pursuing a diploma course in law with a private tertiary institution, which he is finishing this year. He hopes to enroll for a law degree next year.

Turning to the topic of politics, Nyambe says not only are his parents, especially his mother, Elizabeth, closely behind him, but both community elders and the youth are rooting for him.

'I am really surprised, even very humbled, that even old people in our ward could be so supportive of me despite my youth. I like the way they are encouraging me,' he says.
Burning issues at Kanana Ward, which encompasses locations such as 20, 21, 22 and 23 include the clinic, which opens for only 12 hours. Nyambe says he is going to push for it to open for 24 hours as people in the constituency are suffering.

'For them to receive medical assistance at night, they have to travel to Francistown, which is quite a distance. Things would be much better if the clinic could start operating for 24 hours. You will have to realise that Gerald Estates is quite a distance from health facilities in Francistown,' says Nyambe.

Also, Gerald Estate residents must travel to Francistown for their shopping, something that Nyambe says is unacceptable. A shopping centre is long overdue in the area, he says, as presently when it is late people are unable to buy some basic necessities.
They have to wait until morning in order to travel to the city centre.

Nyambe will also like to see lights in the streets as currently they are confined to the main arteries of the suburb.

'The streets of that place, especially my constituency do not have lights and this encourages crime which is quite prevalent in that area,' he says.

An issue that should also preoccupy him should be that of standpipes in his constituency, which are always dripping with water as their taps are at times vandalised by children.
He says he would be happy to see concrete walls erected around the standpipes, as is the case in other places, which have got standpipes to prevent them from being vandalised.

On the social front, Nyambe is a keen footballer whose signature has been sought after by local teams, but he says it is not where his sights are set. He also likes reading although not much. He enjoys talking politics with his peers, he says, a smile playing on his lips to reveal a gold tooth.

He is unattached at the moment (ladies, do you hear that?) and when he does find a woman of his dreams he will formerly take her to his mother Elizabeth and father Sam Moleofhi.

'I am one person who likes doing things in a proper way. Besides, my parents are strict about what I do with my life. I have to obey them,' he says in conclusion.