Saleshando has gone to town to market himself and has not left anything to chance in a bid to become Gaborone Central MP. His colourful campaign posters has been placed in every strategic location in the constituency.
The eye catching posters are everywhere from bus stops, billboards, students’ time-tables and calendars. Saleshando said he engaged advertising agencies to place his promotional materials in strategic locations.
The youthful Saleshando has even travelled to the North West University in South Africa to canvass for the votes of Batswana students studying in the country.
Speaking in an interview, Saleshando said the positive response that he was getting from the public shows that his campaign strategy is working.
“We are on target. We can’t complain. But the game is not over yet. In the last few months before the elections, we need to reach more people who are not our members,” he said.
He has realised that there are two types of voters. There is the traditional voter who will stick to his party and the voter who is looking for the best candidate. He is targeting voters in the second category with his vigorous campaign.
He believes the campaign strategy that he has devised suits the modern times.
“We are dealing with a more advanced electorate. People don’t only vote for parties but also for capable individuals. This type of campaign empowers the voters to know their contestants. It goes beyond the party,” he said.
He feels this campaign strategy will work in an untested local market.
“Batswana are not averse to new strategies. Look at the advent of cellphones for instance. I think it will work but the best test will be the results themselves.”
He insists that he is not over marketing himself because there is still a huge section of the electorate which is not covered. He feels there is more need for campaigns to target untapped electorates. In fact he believes he has not done enough to market himself due to financial constraints.
Saleshando does not feel his vigorous campaign will make him bigger than the BCP because he is advocating for issues that are consistent with the party.
In my own view, no individual could ever be bigger than a party. “I am contesting in party colours and remain bound by party principles,” he said.
Saleshando said he had seen modernised campaign in countries like
South Africa. “In other countries they are using modernised campaigning so why not in Botswana?” he asked.
It has always been his personal philosophy that once he accepts a task, he should do it well. “There might never be a second chance,” he said, indicating he is embarrassed by failure especially when one does not exert oneself.
Ideally, he said, he could have preferred a five year programme to work on a campaign plan.
“But I had to work on a short plan. We had to go on a fast plane to make
the best out of the contest,” he said.
Saleshando, who could not disclose his budget for the campaign only hinted that it was a costly exercise. “We do have our own budget. But the party also has its own budget for campaigns. We had to cut on a lot of things. We drew a budget last year and linked it to the activities that we wanted to do. The timing of everything was planned,” he said, adding they had to forgo a lot of activities like promotional materials.
However, Saleshando denied allegations that his campaign was partly sponsored by the party. He said as a member of the Central Committee he would never agree to a situation where party resources are used to benefit certain constituencies only.
According to him, opposition parties could not afford this type of campaign because they do not have resources. He said this is why they have been advocating for state funding of political parties.
He pointed out that the only party with ample resources is the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) but they have never run an inspiring campaign. “They are not a party which is moving with the times.”
Saleshando admitted that campaign was labour intensive and it was taking most of his time. But according to him, most of the campaign is done by party volunteers.
He is also using traditional methods like house to house campaigns and holding rallies. “Posters and billboards don’t answers questions, that task is done by party members,” he said.
He added that the campaign is draining his energy and resources and he no longer has a social life. He said his wife has been a pillar of strength in his campaign. He spends most of time at his graphics design business, which he said, designed most of his campaign materials. Except maybe for his poster on one of the vehicles parked outside, there is no indication in his office that he is a BCP man. He said he is out to change campaign tactics from political rallies and mudslinging.
