Dibeela eyes Boko’s former constituency
Spira Tlhankane | Monday July 8, 2024 06:00
He previously contested in the now merged Mmathethe-Molapowabojang in the 2014 and 2019 polls under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Dibeela lost to the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) on both occasions and is hoping for a different turnaround in Gaborone. Despite forging an alliance as two separate parties, Dibeela was unveiled recently as the BCP candidate and will contest under the lime colours. “The party of the moment is the BCP Alliance. We are removing the BDP in October because we want to better represent the people of this constituency,” he highlighted during his launch in Gaborone Bonnington North recently. He also said the constituency is a well known suburban area, which is dominated by government employees. Dibeela said the constituency is unlucky because it has never had good representation in the past five years under Boko and incumbent legislator, Anna Mokgethi.
He said as they do house-to-house campaigns, they have realised that some people are literally starving. Dibeela said he has realised that there is no properly functioning water drainage and streetlights in an area which is troubled by crime. “I only ask the BDP to stop blocking the rays of sunshine so that our country can thrive,” he highlighted. For his part, Dibeela’s current ally and the BCP leader, Dumelang Saleshando, said the former is a brave reverend who spoke out when other pastors were silent during the time when Jacob Nkate destroyed people’s homes. “He was never silenced and never kept his words to himself as he advocated for people who lost their homes as a result of the exercise,” he said. Saleshando said when Basarwa in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) were harassed by the government, Dibeela also spoke out when other pastors were afraid of the BDP-led government.
He said Dibeela’s boldness was not limited to Botswana but the latter also spoke out against the Marikana massacre during his time in South Africa. After his fallout with the UDC President Boko, Dibeela alongside veteran politician, Mokgweetsi Kgosipula, went on to form a new party, the BLP in 2022. Before forming the BLP, Dibeela initially announced his intentions to challenge Boko but later retreated, citing personal challenges. The former BNF vice president was the leader of the BNF faction that sought to bring a change of guard to the party leadership. Although it is good for democracy for people to compete for positions, it is said that Dibeela’s intention to challenge his boss did not sit well with the UDC president. Dibeela later tried to defend his vice president position at the BNF’s elective congress in 2022 only to get the humiliation of his life when he could not even get a nomination from his constituency.
Dibeela indicated later after forming the party that it represented the interests of the workers in formal employment, farm workers, informal business owners, and those unemployed. He stated that they were exploring the possibility of working as partners with other like-minded parties, trade unions, farmers associations, and other grassroots formations. Besides his work in politics, Dibeela has previously worked as a minister in both rural and urban local churches in Botswana, as Mission Enabler in the URC in the UK and as principal of Kgolagano Theological College in Botswana. He also served the UCCSA with distinction, and during his tenure, reignited the justice calling of the church and continued the strong commitment of social justice that has defined the church’s mission and witness. Dibeela, in his administration and leadership of the church, demonstrated courage and a commitment to promote a listening church even in the face of difficult issues.