Segokgo confident BNF will retain Tlokweng

Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Tlokweng, Kenneth Masego Segokgo is confident that his party will retain the constituency.

The party announced Segokgo as their candidate during the festive holidays after consultations with Botswana National Front (BNF) structures in the constituency. After the death of area MP Same Bathobakae last year, a lot of people expressed interest to represent the party in the constituency.Speaking in an interview with The Midweek Sun online this week, Segokgo said the fact that he was born and raised in Tlokweng gave him the upper hand over the candidate that BDP will select.

“My father, Phaladi Segokgo was a staunch member of BNF and I was inducted into politics during early days of my life. He was a Councilor for Tlokwa ward for two occasions until 1999. He is the one who taught me politics and I am not new into it. I have been a member of BNF since 1990s,” he said.A teacher by profession, Segokgo is currently the BNF constituency chairperson. “The choice of Cde Segokgo came after a marathon series of consultations within the constituency.

The Tlokweng constituency, at the end of this process, came up with a credible, suitable and consensus candidate to represent the UDC in the Parliamentary bye-elections. The Constituency Committee has since communicated with other party structures as well as consulting the late Cde Bathobakae’s family,” said BNF spin-doctor, Justin Hunyepa.

Segokgo has Bachelor of Science Degree (Education) from University of Botswana. He taught at Mater Spei College in Francistown for eight years. He worked as National Recruitment Coordinator at National Blood Transfusion Centre until 2014 when he left to become a businessman. “Once voted my priority will include fighting for land for Batlokwa. Because Tlokweng is a semi-urban area people who are not originally from Tlokweng want to live there and this increases congestion into our areas. Time has now arrived for Batlokwa to be given land before it becomes scarce,” he said.

The UDC candidate aims to continue the wonderful work done by the late Bathobakae. “Workers’ welfare are some of the issues I am going to address because the government does not take their welfare seriously. This is why we continue to seek salary increment outside the Bargaining Council. Since I was chosen no one is complaining and we are going to work hard to retain the constituency,” vowed Segokgo.

Deputy Mayor, Kagiso Tshekega is the campaign manager.

Although Kgosi Puso Gaborone’s name is said to have initially been suggested by both party officials as a potential replacement for Bathobake, he declined to talk about the issue. “I do not have any relations with Tlokweng bye-election and I cannot comment on it,” said Kgosi Gaborone.

Reached for comment Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Secretary General, Botsalo Ntuane said there is no consensus at the moment from the aspirants. “They have been engaged in a series of meetings to try and find a common ground but it appears they are unable to find a breakthrough. BDP aspirants include the following, Akanyang Seitshiro, Phineas Molefhe, Elijah Katse who was kicked out of the party, and Thulaganyo Segokgo who is said to be a sister to Botswana Defence Force Commander, Placid Segokgo.

“Remember consensus is not mandatory. It is desirable especially for bye-elections where campaign period is limited,” he said adding that if aspirants after dialogue are unable to agree the party will proceed to primary elections.

“Although we are losing out on precious campaign time we feel we still have a small window to continue dialogue with the aspirants. I think if by next week or so, and after various efforts there is still no agreement then we will go to primaries because the critical mandate is to have a candidate as early as possible so as to hit the campaign trail,” said Ntuane.