Barometer test for UDC in Moselewapula
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday June 20, 2022 06:00
The BCP, a constituent party of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) together with the Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana People’s Party (BPP), will be represented by Oagile Wairi during the by-election. Wairi will stand under the banner of the UDC in the by-election. The by-election happened as a result of the death of Moselewapula ward councillor, Reuben Kethoilwe in May following a long battle with cancer. Wairi defeated Gilbert Makombo in a two-horse race by 100 to 57 votes.
The BCP primary election occurred when the tumultuous relationship between the BCP and the BNF has already reached boiling point to such an extent that some people are even thinking that it is only a matter of time before the BCP hurtles towards the exit door of the UDC. The UDC is marred by leadership issues mostly between the BNF and BCP who hold the positions of the coalition’s president and vice president respectively. Hardly a week passes without the two influential UDC protagonists firing accusations and counter accusations in the media.
Therefore, it is not surprising that some political observers are of the opinion that the vicious attacks between the BNF and BCP are the straw that will break the camel’s back. Analysts also feel that the bickering within the UDC does not resonate well with voters who are thirsty for regime change in Botswana. With pall hanging over the UDC because of incessant fights between the BNF and the BCP, Wairi expresses hope that normalcy will soon reign supreme within the tripartite coalition.
He also expressed his heartfelt thanks to voters who gave him the mandate to represent the UDC in the looming by-election. No formal complaint has been laid with the BCP’s top hierarchy regarding the weekend primary. Asked what his priorities are for the residents of Moselewapula should he prevail in the by-election against a yet to be known Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) opponent, Wairi said: “Moselewapula is ravaged by lot of problems because of the high unemployment rate that is not only prevalent in the ward but throughout Botswana.
I will strive in all my power to complete some of the projects that the late Ketlhoilwe had already started. My other priority will be fighting to correct the Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) billing system that has left many residents of Moselewapula and Batswana reeling under heavy debts.” Wairi stated that Moselewapula’s roads that are littered with potholes leaving motorists to pay high prices in vehicle maintenance costs will also be one of his priorities should he be elected to the council chambers. In addition, Wairi said restoring the malfunctioning street lights in Moselewapula that are a thorn in the flesh of residents will also form part of his urgent priorities. “Although there are street lights in Moselewapula, in some streets the lights have not been installed. Authorities at the City of Francistown (CoF) should urgently act on this matter because it fuels numerous house break-ins, car tyres and car battery thefts.
A lot of people have also been ambushed and robbed of their valuables in the evening on their way home from work,” the UDC aspiring civic leader bemoans. Wairi is also wary of the political wrangling within the UDC and his wish is to see it resolved to the benefit of the masses who are its custodians. Sampling his chances of success during the upcoming by-election, Wairi stated that his chances are very high despite the fact that the UDC is currently engulfed by internal squabbles. On the other hand, the BDP is yet to hold its primary election to determine a candidate who slug it out with Wairi in the by-election. Rumours are abound that the BDP will have a crowded primary contest. Some names that have been bandied about include those of the current chairperson of Moselewapula Ward Development Committee (WDC), Misiyose Tadubana, and former city deputy mayor, Joyce Ndove.
The chairperson of the BDP Francistown Region, Baemedi Medupi said that the party is yet to receive names of aspiring candidates who will contest in its primary election. “The process of holding the BDP primary elections is handled by the Political Education and Elections Committee (PEEC). However, the region has previously held a ward meeting in Moselewapula about the issue of the primary and by-election. During the meeting, we told our members who are aspiring to compete in the primary election to internally talk about the issue. Our thinking was that they may come up with a compromise candidate. However, if we end up having many aspiring candidates, there is nothing we can do to prevent any member of the BDP in good standing to contest in our primary election,” said Medupi, before referring Mmegi to the chairperson of the PEEC, Alec Seametso.
The BDP and Medupi know very well that a crowded primary may have the potential to ignite issues of disgruntlement from its cadres. Those cadres, according to experts, may think that they were cheated during the primary and therefore stop campaigning for the party and in worst case scenarios, work surreptitiously with the opposition in order to sabotage the party.
Seametso told this publication that the BDP is still busy with preparations for its Women’s Wing elective congress that will be held on Saturday. “We will vigorously focus on the Moselewapula by-election after the Women’s Wing elective congress,” Seametso, who said that he was attending a meeting dealing with the preparations of their women chapter congress briefly said.
Meanwhile, the BPP will also hold a political rally on Saturday in Moselewapula. It was expected that because the BCP will represent the UDC in the by-election in Moselewapula, it is the one that is supposed to call the shots during preparations of the by-election. The BPP has stated that the rally is not a BPP event but a UDC function. The BPP has also said that the rally is expected to be attended by activists from all the UDC contracting parties but some BCP members in Moselewapula read malice in the actions of the BPP. Rumours are fast doing rounds that the BCP leadership will not attend the weekend rally because they expected to be on the forefront of preparing for the by-election.
Observers opine that if the BCP leadership snub the rally, it will widen fissures that are already tearing the UDC asunder. The BPP has already stated that its candidate who may contest in Moselewapula in the event that the BCP decides to field its own candidate outside the UDC just like in Bophirima in Gaborone is on standby.