Moyo Guma survives Bulela Ditswe battle…

Incumbent Member of Parliament for Tati East Guma Moyo brushed aside a challenge from his bitter rival Sean Sebele in the past weekend Bulela Ditswe, polling 2730 votes against Sebele’s 1929.

The other contender, Kurusa trailed behind with 400 voters. Guma’s victory defied the mood expressed by Botswana Democratic Party electorate ahead of the primaries. There had been complaints that Guma rarely holds kgotla meetings to address issues of national developments in the constituency and hence must be voted out.

The MP has admitted in previous interviews that he has his own style of addressing issues in his constituency apart from kgotla meeting, but it seems this did not sit well with the electorate.In Tsamaya – Guma’s home village – voters threw their lots behind Sebele who hails from Senyawe village. Sebele amassed 174 votes against Guma’s 160.

However, residents of Mabudzane village which forms part of Tsamaya ward voted in large numbers for Guma giving him his first-ever win in his home village.  In Themashanga village Guma recorded a lead of 200 votes against his contender - a decisive stroke that dashed Sebele’s hopes of reaching the 2019 general election.

But in Butale, Senyawe, Ditladi and Tati Siding West, Guma trailed behind Sebele. Following Guma’s victory, disappointed voters who had expected him to lose, vowed to get him during the next general election where he will be pitted against a candidate from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).