Maripe's son says: "Yes I want to be BPP president

CHAKALISA DUBE
Staff Writer | Tuesday April 16, 2013 00:00

His disclosure has put to rest months of rumour-mongering that the late BPP president, and co-founder, Dr Knight Maripe's son is preparing to assume the party's presidency. The man, who ditched BPP's umbrella partners Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) mid-last year, yesterday told Mmegi that after much introspection, he has decided to run for the party's presidency.

'After careful consideration, I would like to end speculation that has been doing rounds of whether I intend to run for the BPP presidency, or not. It is true that I will be contesting the party presidency next month. I believe I have much to offer the party and I believe I can best do that (offer what he has to the party) if I'm part of the party executive,' said Maripe.Some months ago, Maripe publicly declared his interest in tackling prominent businessman Samson Guma Moyo of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) for the Tati East parliamentary constituency at the next general elections.

Maria Kusasa, who in February this year ditched the BPP to join the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is also among those who have publicly declared their desire to contest for the Tati East parliamentary constituency at the next general elections.Maripe is likely to face BPP vice president Kumbulani William for the presidential position that will see the winner taking over from the aged Motlatsi Molapisi. He will step down at the party elective conference on May 26. William has also stated that he will soon confirm if he will contest the elections or not.Maripe, who left the BMD in a move many political pundits believe was calculated to help him contest the Tati East constituency, however denied talk that should he triumph in the race for BPP presidency, he intends to use the position to sway voters in his favour at the next general elections.

'My decision to stand for the party presidency is only influenced by my desire to help take the party to another level,' he said.Should Maripe succeed in his quest to win the presidency, he will become the third son of a former party president to become president in the history of local politics.The BDP has Ian Khama, who is the son of its former leader the late Sir Seretse Khama, as its president; BCP president Dumelang Saleshando also succeeded his father as the party president.On the international front, Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of the first president of Kenya recently took over as president of the East African powerhouse. In the United States, former President George Bush was succeeded by his son George W Bush to the presidency of the United States of America.