Uyapo Tshambani, the man behind the Francistown Botsalano Ward victory of Ontiretse Bakaile in both the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primary elections and general elections in 2019 is under fire for making his intensions clear that he wants the seat for himself ahead of next year's general elections.

“Yes I was his campaign manager for the party primaries which, he, needless to say, won. Thereafter, I became part of his campaign team for the general elections which he won too,” Tshambani said in an interview with The Midweek Sun, confirming that he will be challenging the current councilor.

“I am not in a position to say much as discussing the primary elections before the party makes an official announcement on them would be against the party processes. I can only confirm that, I am contesting the primary elections and hopefully, the 2024 general elections,” Tshambani said.

However, he declined to state his reasons for challenging Bakaile save to say the matter is sensitive and controversial.

Tshambani, however, is ready to support Bakaile win the general elections should he lose the primaries to him. “By the same token, I expect him to back me in the general elections should I beat him in the primaries.”

A BDP activist who is close to the developments, however, told this publication that BDP members in the ward feel that Bakaile must go.

“The feeling is that he has become distant from the people as he no longer interacts with them. He does not pick his phone anymore when called. He has abandoned the Botsalano Development Plan. Neither does he attend

our funerals the way he used to. He has changed," the source said.

According to him, Bakaile’s loyalty to the BDP has also become doubtful as he is linked to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).

Yet the Botsalano ward councillor denies any links to the UDC. “This is cheap politics by people who want to destroy me. I have got no interest in the UDC,” declared Bakaile, who also said he had “no interest in discussing lies and cheap politics.”

Bakaile, who is a traditional dance artist, took a swipe at the media which he accused of having the tendency to entertain lies and falsehoods.

“Regarding my being challenged in the primaries and whether I was aware that I am going to be challenged, I am constrained by the party constitution because it does not allow us to discuss primary elections before an official announcement is made,” said the councillor, who is confident that he will silence his detractors by beating them in the primary elections.

Bakaile blamed COVID-19 for his failure to fulfil his election pledges particularly the Botsalano Development Plan which entails the repairing of roads, as well as the installation of street lights.

“The pandemic contributed to the failed plans. It also destroyed livelihoods as we witnessed hundreds of retrenchments in its wake. Our coffers were depleted, leaving nothing to fund whatever we had planned,” said a disappointed Bakaile who blamed "the irresponsible utterances by people who have got problems with their lives and are out to destroy me with their cheap politics.”

On the issue of him being distant from the community, the councilor insisted that before COVID-19, he helped many young people with advice on business and that he was disrupted by the virus attack. Dismissing Tshambani’s candidature, Bakaile said, “He is the one who has become distant.

“For example, he now stays at Shashe-Mooke which is outside Francistown, let alone Botsalano ward. For the longest time, he has not attended any party workshop or meeting,” observed Bakaile, who claimed that the people of Botsalano cannot trust Tshambani for the reason that he is not part of the community anymore.