AP, BCP, BLP coalition goes for first test
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday January 17, 2023 06:00
The two parties are, however, hopeful that they could win the vacant Bosele Ward in the Gaborone Bonnington North Constituency alongside newbies, the Botswana Labour Party (BLP).
The vacancy comes after the passing of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillor, Thabanyane Agnes Mmualefe recently.
While representatives of the three parties are yet to meet and decide on who will represent them, the BCP would likely fancy its chances as it represented the ward under the UDC in 2019 and then candidate, Kaelo Aubrey Kgomotso is still under its fold, having also contested in 2014 elections under the BCP ticket.
Kgomotso had come third under BCP ticket in 2014 after the BDP and the UDC respectively. Contacted for a comment on preparations, the BCP Publicity Secretary Dr Mpho Pheko said they are yet to meet their coalition partners regarding the ward. “We are yet to meet as the BCP to decide on what is to happen at the ward.
It is, however, worth noting that we have strong presence in the ward as our candidate did well in the past two general elections. This, however, does not make the ward ours.
We have to discuss with our partners the AP and the BLP as we are going to be represented by just one candidate,” she said. Meanwhile, the BLP, whose President Prince Dibeela is eying the constituency, would like to vie for the ward.
This for them, would be a great opportunity to find out how much work they have to put in if they want their president in Parliament in 2024.
The party’s secretary-general, Kgakgamatso Kebiditswe said they are yet to discuss with their colleagues. “We will not contest the ward alone, but rather with partners with whom we are in talks with. If given an opportunity, we will be able to field a candidate because we have been building structures and campaigning at the constituency and all over the country. We, however, cannot put our interests first as we have partners to consult,” he said.
For the AP, which garnered 138 votes in 2019 is yet to engage. “We are yet to meet as a party to discuss our position before meeting with our coalition partners about the by-election,” AP publicity secretary Maotho Segotso said when contacted for a comment.
In 2019, Mmualefe had won by 612 votes, while Kgomotso was voted by 487 people and Silvester Ipotseng who was an independent candidate got 147 people, Benedict Bogosi of the AP garnered 138 votes.
Batlanang Banantwa, and Selo Molomo, both independent candidates got 66 and 52 votes respectively. Mosarwa Ntsima of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) was voted by 20 people. Before they dumped the UDC, opposition parties working together had won nine by-elections. After the BCP walked out of the umbrella, the UDC continued to win two more seats, while they (the BCP) and the AP won none.