Shoshong litmus test for political parties
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 6, 2023 06:00
Over the weekend, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) led by President Mokgweetsi Masisi descended on the Shoshong constituency.
The constituency has been a stronghold of the BDP until the last polls when the Botswana National Front (BNF) grabbed it, under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and lost it to the BDP when the incumbent area Member of Parliament (MP), Aubrey Lesaso jumped ship.
Shoshong has proven to be a tricky constituency with indications that there might be no outright winner between the opposition and the ruling party if elections were to be called tomorrow due to various factors.
There is no doubt that former president Ian Khama and President Masisi's misunderstandings have played a role in the outcome of the 2019 General Election. For the first time, the country witnessed the constituency being snatched by the UDC from the ruling BDP.
Historically, Shoshong was known to be one of the strongholds of the BDP but the BNF was also slowly growing in the area as it continued to amass high numbers. Shoshong is one of the Gammangwato areas but it has its own internal issues.
As things stand, both the BDP and the UDC do stand a chance to win the constituency come 2024. In the 2014 General Election, the BDP got 5,377, the UDC 4,429 and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) had 413 votes.
But at the 2019 General Election, the BDP got 3,843 votes whilst the victor, the UDC got 8,437 votes. It was an assured victory for the UDC considering the margin.
Over the weekend, Masisi pleaded with Shoshong residents to change the pattern and vote for his party. He told the residents and his party members that for him to win the government, he needs to win constituencies like Shoshong.
He further told the residents that he wishes that one day he could reconcile with Khama, a statement many believe it is yet to be tested if indeed President Masisi is being sincere about reconciliation or not. Some residents believe that Masisi was earnest about ensuring victories in Shoshong other constituencies in the north of the country that the party lost to the opposition for his party. “For us to win government, we need to start to win constituencies and wards. I urge all BDP members to start working hard and recruit all our members who had gone to opposition parties.
They need to come back home and we should openly welcome them back to the party. Let us forgive each other and reconcile,” Masisi said on Saturday. On other issues, Masisi requested his party members to work well with Lesaso who is the area MP. He asked members to stop internal fights which contribute a lot to divisions in the party following primary elections known as Bulela Ditswe.
However, central committee member Neo Kealotswe, who is assigned to take care of the Shoshong area, told the President and other BDP members that the BDP is capable of winning the constituency back, if members work together. “We can retain this constituency as long as some members do not betray us. The problem that I observed is that we have some members who support opposition parties once they lose party primary elections. For us to win it back, we need loyal members who are able to defend the party whether it is hard or not. If members could keep on working hard and stop de-campaigning others then we will be able to be voted with high numbers,” Kealotswe said.
One of the former councillors of that area, Reuben Kgomotsego, who was welcomed back from opposition to the BDP also promised that if they worked together then they would be able to retain the constituency. “I plead with party members to have trust in us who are coming from the opposition parties. We can help with strategies that could be used to retain the constituency. All that needs to be done, is to be able to work together. It is possible for this constituency to be won if there is a determination from us as members.
I am one of the members who played a major role in the 2019 polls, ensuring that the UDC wins the area and I am willing to help the party to win it in the 2024 General Election. I did not come back for positions as some may think. I avail myself to work for the party,” Kgomotsego said when addressing members. In an interview with one of the residents of Shoshong village, Sesafeleng Gomotsegang, said both the UDC and the BDP stand a chance to win the area but the game could change if the Khama-Masisi issue changes. “Shoshong has its politics and it is usually dominated by big wards like Kgamane.
The Khama issue is one of the key factors that could easily influence the voters. Khama is still a chief in this village because the majority of the people here come from Serowe. Opposition, particularly the UDC, has recently been quiet but it is also strong in the area. If it works hard also, it could win it back,” Gomotsegang said. For their part, the BNF spokesperson Justin Hunyepa said there is an active constituency structure at Shoshong. “They have never rested since the 2019 General Election through constituency meetings and house-to-house campaigns.
A week back, two BNF officials, the secretary-general and the national organiser, had a successful indoor meeting and they further consolidated BNF control. It will be easy to win back the constituency as voters are angry with the Lesaso betrayal. That is why we challenged him to resign as Shoshong MP as we were going to win, but he was scared and he ran away,” Hunyepa said in an interview on Tuesday.
He said if the BNF is allocated the constituency for the UDC in 2024, they will definitely win it again. In addition, Hunyepa claimed that the UDC is going to win the 2024 General Election and it will make history and prove the doubting Thomases wrong.