Ageing Nzwaligwa will not quit his job
Calistus Kolantsho | Thursday October 10, 2013 22:22
Nzwaligwa's comments come at a time when rumours are doing the rounds in the mining town that he has submitted his name to contest the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) primary elections in the constituency.
Incumbent MP Gilson Saleshando who will not be contesting the 2014 general elections will leave the constituency vacant.
Nzwaligwa, 56, told Mmegi that BCP members in the constituency were courting him to contest but he explained that he is growing old and could not risk resigning from his post when he is not sure if he would win the primary elections.
He revealed that during the time when he was still a Botswana National Front (BNF) ctivist he resigned from his job to work for the party.
'Right now I cannot stop people from campaigning in my name. At the same time I cannot quit my job because my term ends next year. I have a lot at stake here.
My life depends on this job,' he said.
Other candidates who will be battling it out for the constituency in the BCP primaries are Dr Dithapelo Keorapetse, Seji Wally and Obakeng Kanthaga.
Nzwaligwa feels that it is time Batswana dealt away with traditional representation especially in Selebi-Phikwe. He stated that the mining town was unique and deserved that kind of representation.
He said that the representation that was needed for the town was one with production. He argued that the system whereby an MP addressed Kgotla meetings before taking up Parliamentary business had been bypassed by events.
Nzwaligwa said Batswana must stop depending on the government for everything especially employment.
He is of the view that young people in Selebi-Phikwe should group themselves; establish companies and bid for tenders from the government or BCL Mine, which is the largest consumer of different materials in the town.
He is impressed by the assistance his office has been giving to Selebi-Phikwe residents since 2009.