Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) recently appointed 37-year-old Ame Makoba as its Executive Secretary.
As the party’s new administrative head, Makoba’s task is immense; to rebuild and redefine the BDP as a formidable opposition party after its fall from grace in the October 2024 general elections.
Following his unsuccessful bid for the party’s presidency earlier this year, Makoba believes his new role as the “CEO” at Tsholetsa house will go a long way in delivering party reforms.
In this interview with FRANCINAH BAAITSE, Makoba discusses the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the BDP, his vision for the party’s future, his assessment of the 2024 election defeat, and how the party plans to operate as a constructive opposition in a new political landscape.
Q: Thank you for your time Mr Makoba. Congratulations on your new appointment. Briefly take us through your political career?
I joined BDP in 2007 as student politician at the University of Botswana. I joined under GS26, the University’s BDP branch. I politicked there for my entire student life and in 2010 I was elected as Chairman of GS26. I did two terms there as the Chairman. I was also at some point a Presidential candidate for GS26 in the SRC elections. I was discovered then by veteran politicians of the party. If you recall, the time around 2010/2011 was when BMD was founded and while there were attempts to recruit us to join BMD, some of us stood our ground believing that we have responsibilities as members of BDP to stick around and help the party to become a better democratic institution. So my hard work and other contemporaries then were discovered by those who were in the leadership of the party. I was then elected into higher committees of the party as Deputy Chairman of the youth branch of Gaborone Central and later on Chairman of the youth committee. Later on I caught the eye of President Khama and I got my first appointment to sub-committees. For the first time in 2015 I was employed as Deputy Executive Secretary of the party. In 2017 I joined the private sector but continued to serve in committees of the party still.
In 2019 I was recruited to the head office as Executive Secretary. I was part of the team that made sure the party emerged victorious at general elections. In 2020 I left to join the public service. In 2022 I left public service went back to the party where I served in committees of the party, latest being electoral board then as you now know I stood for presidency of the party in 2025. Unsuccessful in the race, Balopi got a resounding victory but our party being a party of cordial people I was recruited and given the opportunity to be once again be the CEO of the party as the Executive Secretary. So here I am as the leader of the head office of the party.
Q: That’s a rich political history, so what’s next?
So far I have met with the party President and Secretary General and I am impressed by their vision of the party and I just look forward to working with them and contribute towards a vibrant opposition party that is strong on policy, strong in administration and on offering alternatives to the views and alternatives of the current government of the day. I am happy for the opportunity to contribute. I have been expected to show the same level of performance as in my previous leadership of the party. I have to make the party effective and functional under the guidance of the Secretary General.
Q: What is your party’s stance on the UDC government’s policies and how will the BDP operate as a constructive and effective opposition in Parliament?
So far we haven’t seen a huge shift. I think primarily the policies and systems that the BDP left are still in place. Time will tell.
Q: BDP has a long history as Botswana’s first ruling party, how do you plan to leverage this legacy while also modernising the party’s image and platform for the future?
The President has a vision for reform. His popular election in Maun suggests that his vision was embraced. The party is on the course of renewal, but also a return to its founding principles of Botho, Democracy, Unity and so on. I think I embody these values and so do my leaders.Q: How do you plan to rebuild and unify the party especially given the recent internal divisions that many believe contributed to the 2024 elections defeat?
I will count on the leadership to give guidance. Mine is to ensure impartiality in my service to all party members. As a communicator, it’s my role to keep party members informed and to serve as a link between leadership and members.Q: The opposition which was UDC then, effectively capitalised on issues like youth unemployment and high cost of living. How will the BDP address these issues as an opposition party to regain public trust?
The ball is in the UDC court. They must create jobs and perhaps outperform us or they risk a similar fall to ours. BDP ideas and strategies for economic diversification and job creation are primarily based on agriculture as demonstrated in past policies and programmes. Our recent display at the Gantsi show was based on that.
Q: Some critics argue that the BDP became complacent after decades of uninterrupted rule, do you agree with this assessment and what steps will you take to ensure the party is more responsive and accountable to the electorate?
It may be true, but it is also true that incumbency worked against us, as it is certain for UDC. Ruling a country places expectations on you and when jobs don’t come, prices are rising etc, you must face the electorate.
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