Botswana Congress Party (BCP) winners of the just-ended party primary elections are confident of prevailing over both the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
A significant number of them are first timers.
“The fact that we have just gone through a seamless primary election process while our competitors are yet to do so, puts us ahead of them. We now have all the time to address the voter on our agenda. Should I prevail and go to parliament, we are going to address the myriad of challenges such as unemployment, shortage of water and youth unemployment in the Nkange constituency,” said Motlhaleemang Moalosi, who by virtue of winning the primaries, will contest the Nkange constituency as the party parliamentary candidate in 2024.
In his view, preparing earlier than their competitors gives the party an advantage over the competitors. The BCP is the only party that has started the primary election process with the first batch of prospective candidates undergoing primaries over the weekend. He would not want to see the Nkange constituency lost to the ruling party again.
“The tragedy of our constituency is that our local contractors, for instance, are denied big projects such as the building of schools, clinics and other types of infrastructure in the constituency. These are given to foreign companies in return for kickbacks. Should the BDP continue beyond 2024, there will be no future for the country,” warned Moalosi, who garnered 2203 votes against Morgan Moseki who collected 1026 votes.
Gape Motswaledi who won the Palapye primaries by overcoming his closest rival, Ethel Gampone by 1364 votes to 787, is certain that the BCP will prevail in the 2024 general election.
“While the BCP has been growing, the BDP has been progressively weakening in Palapye. There is neither the Botswana National Front (BNF) nor Botswana Peoples’ Party (BPP) here. The UDC, just like the BDP, which has lost support in the Central District, do not exist here. Besides, while the BCP is stable, the UDC is not stable as it has no inner party democracy in the first place,” posited Motswaledi, who added that because the BNF is, as he says, not stable, the UDC cannot be stable because the lead party is not stable.
Gabatsholwe Disho of Okavango East is a first timer in active politics. “The reason I decided to become an activist is that although ours is a rich tourism area, its inhabitants live in debilitating poverty. I have been in the tourism industry since my childhood. Tragically, the people who have thus far represented us, come from sectors other than tourism. It therefore becomes difficult for them to fully lead the community in the harnessing of our natural resources to our benefit as a community,” said Disho.
Asked why he thinks the people of Okavango East will vote the BCP ahead of the BDP and UDC, Disho said that his party will win because the UDC has alienated the people of Okavango by suspending and later expelling the party leaders, Dumelang Saleshando and Goretetse Kekgonegile.
“Besides, please bear in mind that before the fallout which led to the BCP losing interest in the UDC, the strength of the UDC came from the fact that the UDC was a collective. It therefore follows that both parties have weakened. The UDC has weakened and hence there is no guarantee that it can outperform the BCP. We were not going to allow the UDC to abuse our leaders,” noted Disho, who added that despite the natural wealth in the constituency, the constituency has got neither roads nor health facilities, among other necessities.
“My mission is to lure back our youth who are providing cheap labour in the various towns in the country and help them to do tourism-related industries for their livelihood,” declared Disho.
In the Gamalete constituency, Boniface Mabeo emerged victorious and remains confident too that the BCP will win the constituency. “One of the biggest challenges we face is unemployment. We believe that with enough commitment, it can be addressed. Gamalete constituency boasts of one of the biggest aquifers which can be harnessed for the benefit of the people. The aquifers are recognised globally. Unlike South Africa, we are unable to use the water to produce food for ourselves,” said Mabeo.
If elected, Mabeo, who was endorsed by 1995 people to his nearest rival Donald Keakile’s 1053, will make sure that the piggery industry is developed and its practitioners supported by government. His view is that just like those rearing cattle are given support by government, the same government must help Balete to flourish in the pig industry. Mabeo is not spending sleepless nights regarding the elections next year. “We are confident of a win in
2024. The party remains a brand. We remain stable,” he stated.
Other candidates who won the parliamentary primary elections include Kenny Kapinga for Okavango West; Reuben Kaizer for Selebi Phikwe West; Kgoberego Nkawana for Selebi Phikwe East and Philimon Arone for Ngami. The nine were part of the first phase of the BCP by elections.
A significant number of them are first timers.
“The fact that we have just gone through a seamless primary election process while our competitors are yet to do so, puts us ahead of them. We now have all the time to address the voter on our agenda. Should I prevail and go to parliament, we are going to address the myriad of challenges such as unemployment, shortage of water and youth unemployment in the Nkange constituency,” said Motlhaleemang Moalosi, who by virtue of winning the primaries, will contest the Nkange constituency as the party parliamentary candidate in 2024.
In his view, preparing earlier than their competitors gives the party an advantage over the competitors. The BCP is the only party that has started the primary election process with the first batch of prospective candidates undergoing primaries over the weekend. He would not want to see the Nkange constituency lost to the ruling party again.
“The tragedy of our constituency is that our local contractors, for instance, are denied big projects such as the building of schools, clinics and other types of infrastructure in the constituency. These are given to foreign companies in return for kickbacks. Should the BDP continue beyond 2024, there will be no future for the country,” warned Moalosi, who garnered 2203 votes against Morgan Moseki who collected 1026 votes.
Gape Motswaledi who won the Palapye primaries by overcoming his closest rival, Ethel Gampone by 1364 votes to 787, is certain that the BCP will prevail in the 2024 general election.
“While the BCP has been growing, the BDP has been progressively weakening in Palapye. There is neither the Botswana National Front (BNF) nor Botswana Peoples’ Party (BPP) here. The UDC, just like the BDP, which has lost support in the Central District, do not exist here. Besides, while the BCP is stable, the UDC is not stable as it has no inner party democracy in the first place,” posited Motswaledi, who added that because the BNF is, as he says, not stable, the UDC cannot be stable because the lead party is not stable.
Gabatsholwe Disho of Okavango East is a first timer in active politics. “The reason I decided to become an activist is that although ours is a rich tourism area, its inhabitants live in debilitating poverty. I have been in the tourism industry since my childhood. Tragically, the people who have thus far represented us, come from sectors other than tourism. It therefore becomes difficult for them to fully lead the community in the harnessing of our natural resources to our benefit as a community,” said Disho.
Asked why he thinks the people of Okavango East will vote the BCP ahead of the BDP and UDC, Disho said that his party will win because the UDC has alienated the people of Okavango by suspending and later expelling the party leaders, Dumelang Saleshando and Goretetse Kekgonegile.
“Besides, please bear in mind that before the fallout which led to the BCP losing interest in the UDC, the strength of the UDC came from the fact that the UDC was a collective. It therefore follows that both parties have weakened. The UDC has weakened and hence there is no guarantee that it can outperform the BCP. We were not going to allow the UDC to abuse our leaders,” noted Disho, who added that despite the natural wealth in the constituency, the constituency has got neither roads nor health facilities, among other necessities.
“My mission is to lure back our youth who are providing cheap labour in the various towns in the country and help them to do tourism-related industries for their livelihood,” declared Disho.
In the Gamalete constituency, Boniface Mabeo emerged victorious and remains confident too that the BCP will win the constituency. “One of the biggest challenges we face is unemployment. We believe that with enough commitment, it can be addressed. Gamalete constituency boasts of one of the biggest aquifers which can be harnessed for the benefit of the people. The aquifers are recognised globally. Unlike South Africa, we are unable to use the water to produce food for ourselves,” said Mabeo.
If elected, Mabeo, who was endorsed by 1995 people to his nearest rival Donald Keakile’s 1053, will make sure that the piggery industry is developed and its practitioners supported by government. His view is that just like those rearing cattle are given support by government, the same government must help Balete to flourish in the pig industry. Mabeo is not spending sleepless nights regarding the elections next year. “We are confident of a win in
2024. The party remains a brand. We remain stable,” he stated.
Other candidates who won the parliamentary primary elections include Kenny Kapinga for Okavango West; Reuben Kaizer for Selebi Phikwe West; Kgoberego Nkawana for Selebi Phikwe East and Philimon Arone for Ngami. The nine were part of the first phase of the BCP by elections.
