Matlhware finally contests general election under BDP
And no other can attest to this truism except the industrious community builder, Ogaketse Puma Matlhware, whose countless attempts at contesting for a parliamentary seat for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), have finally been rewarded!
He has been confirmed as the parliamentary candidate for the Serowe North constituency. Matlhware, a native of Serowe, and a respected business figure, now faces the challenge of reclaiming the constituency from Botswana Patriot Front (BPF).
In all the attempts, Matlhware always appeared set to win the party’s Bulela Ditswe primary elections only to see the opportunity slipping out of his fingertips. It happened twice when he lost to a member of the royal family, Tshekedi Khama and later to cabinet Minister Kgotla Autlweetse.
But in all the occasions, he has always continued to unconditionally serve his party, a matter that earned him the respect of the leadership of the BDP.
When launching Autlweetse in 2019, Party President, Mokgweetsi Masisi commended Matlhware for working with Autlwetse even though he lost in the primary elections. He said Matlhware was an example of a genuine and dedicated member of BDP.
Matlhware holds B.Sc. (Hons) in Quantity Surveying from Bristol Polytechnic in the United Kingdom. He has worked and continues to manage one of the leading Quantity Surveying firms in the country.
Professionally, he is a registered and practicing member of Quantity Surveyors’ Registration Council (QSRC) and a member of Institute of Botswana Quantity Surveyors (IBQS) and Botswana Institute of Development Professions (BIDP).
He has served in several boards and his involvement in the corporate world has seen him serve as Board Member, Vice Chairman and Chairman, Quantity Surveyors’ Registration Council (QSRC) April 2015 – March 2021, Board Member and Founding Chairman of Botswana Post and Savings Group Limited (BPSGL).
Other boards that he led are Botswana Couriers and Logistics. Under him, the company strived hard to have a customer satisfaction index of at least 95 percent. The customer satisfaction index is a measure of how products and services supplied by Botswana Couriers meet and even surpass customers’ expectations.
He was also a Board Member at the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency, Chairman CEDA Board Tender Committee, and member CEDA Board Human Resources Committee. At some point he chaired the Judtel Interiors (Pty) Ltd T/A Executive Catering board.
He was also Board Member of Botswana Football Association (BFA), Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) Roads Sub-committee, Secretary, Institute of Botswana Quantity Surveyors (IBQS), and Committee Member, Botswana Institute of Development Professions (BIDP).
Matlhware has also been extensively involved in community service activities such as Roundtable 41’er Club Botswana, Patron Botswana Karate Association (BOKA), Chairman Lekidi Football Centre (BFA Headquarters) Inauguration Committee, Coca Cola Cup Organising Committee, Founding Managing Director of Township Rollers Football Club and Past Chairman of Roundtables of Botswana (ARTCA Area Botswana.
On the political front, Matlhware has been a staunch BDP member since1998. He served the party in various capacities such as Secretary Labour Sub-committee, Secretary Finance Sub-committee, Member Strategy Sub-committee, and Chairman BDP 50th Anniversary Organising Committee.