The results of the elections are now common course. The Electoral Commission has declared the Botswana Democratic Party duly elected. In line with our constitution, the Chief Justice has declared President Khama the elected President of the Republic. I congratulate both the Botswana Democratic Party and the President on their victory. It is my hope that they will use the mandate given to them to advance our democracy rather than restrict it, that they shall attend to the economic ills of the country and deliver jobs to our people and fight poverty - the most debilitating cause of indignity in this country.

The last BDP regime behaved and acted like a military Junta. We believe that our people have now given President Khama the benefit of the doubt to see whether he persists in eroding civil liberties and militarising the key organs of the state.

We are prepared, as indeed we are informed by the voice of the people to do, to work with the new government to honour their freedoms and tackle the economic ills of the nation. We are consummate democrats. We believe the voice of the people is the voice of God.

We thank the people of Botswana for the confidence they have shown in our party and for thwarting the attempts of those who sought to trivialise our presence and seek our annihilation. We cannot be wished away because we are a force for good and the keeper of national conscience. The Botswana Congress Party has grown tremendously and you have been central to this solidarity and growth. Women and young people have been particularly key to our expansion and vote - thank you! Your trust and confidence in the BCP swelled our popular votes to unprecedented levels. BCP continues in the trajectory of growth since its formation 12 years ago. In this past election, you rewarded opposition unity - you made certain that our alliance with BAM delivers five parliamentary seats and many council seats across the country.

We had set ourselves ambitious targets for this past election. We fell far short. For this, we are disappointed. Many of my comrades lost with narrow margins. To them I commiserate. I am fully aware that you worked hard and committed personal and family resources for the cause of your movement. We will support you and stand by you as you begin work today to capture those seats - work begins today.

To the BCP cadre, membership, voters and well-wishers, you were fantastic comrades. You continue to build a stable growing movement. It is only five years to the next elections in 2014. It will be your time - it is your election to win.

To all patriots, our country is at the crossroad - in case we failed to communicate this to you sufficiently to gain your trust and vote, we will continue to do so. You will hear this message loud and clear from our representatives in parliament. We shall not disappoint.

By returning BDP to power - the next five years of under BDP will offer more of the same; at waste, they will continue to be an assault on your civil liberties. Yes, you can trust them (o ka ba tshepa!!) to preside over debilitating and degrading poverty and deepen inequalities; democracy will continue being undermined, with an onslaught on the national constitution. There will be an attack on your civil liberties through surveillance and intimidation by DIS.

The BCP promises to dynamise parliament. This will be an affirmation of your vote to us. It will be our demonstration of the correctness on the vote you cast for us. With one MP in the last parliament, the BCP voice was heard and its contribution acclaimed. I thank our member of parliament for Gaborone Central for laying the foundation and for a sterling performance. His performance will be the standard for BCP. We will hold the BDP accountable to delivering on the ideals of vision 2016 and the MDG targets. Yes, we shall ensure there is oversight in the use of resources. We remain committed to the vision and ideals expressed in our manifesto. We will make sure that all our MPs and councilors espouse them. They will remain the platform for all by-elections in the course of the next five years. Our theme will remain the tackling of poverty and engendering democratic governance.

The fragmentation and divisions in the opposition parties' trouble me deeply. It splits votes; sets back the opposition and create missed opportunities to unseat the BDP. Voters have also clearly communicated that they will continue to punish opposition division.

The BCP worked hard to achieve opposition unity in the past year - leading to the BCP/BAM Alliance. Our Comrades in the BNF did not join. BCP will once again reach out to them to achieve opposition unity. The minimum condition is that such unity should be within the framework of stability. Self serving internal party conflict will not be tolerated - it detracts from party organisation and delays efforts to liberate Batswana from poverty.

We salute the media for their commitment to democracy. The private media tried their best to live the values expressed by the code of ethics. The Botswana television, the true heroes and heroines of the BDP campaign, were clearly not committed to those values. To them we say they must be professional and understand that BDP will not be there forever. Obviously the weaknesses of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) have been seriously exposed and there is need for urgent attention.

Last but not least we pay special tribute to those few patriots who supported us financially. They are the true champions of our democracy.
I thank you!

*SALESHANDO is the president of BAM/BCP coalition and the MP for Selibe-Phikwe West.