Constituency mergers, splits could weaken opposition
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 6, 2023 06:00
This, political commentators feel, is purely a political move to weaken opposition strongholds. Mmegi has learnt that one of Serowe's constituencies is going to be collapsed to break it up into two.
Currently, Serowe has three constituencies namely Serowe South, Serowe West and Serowe North. Last year, Parliament passed a motion in which it wanted constituencies to be increased from 57 to 61.
Therefore, the new developments would suggest that some constituencies’ Parliamentary seats and wards would be re-aligned. The Delimitation Commission, led by Justice Chris Gabanagae, is ongoing but was billed to wrap up at the end of January.
According to an insider, Mochudi constituencies might be increased to three, Gaborone constituencies may have an additional one, Mogoditshane is expected to split into two and another one might come from the Borolong area.
With an estimated population of 88,098, Mogoditshane is regarded as the largest village in Botswana. Therefore, during the Commission's consultations last year, the area Member of Parliament (MP), Tumiso Rakgare called for the area to be divided into two constituencies since the population has doubled in a 11-year period between 2011 and 2022.
"We have been having difficulties to service the number that we had and now it has grown double. That means more problems to us. That means high unemployment rate will increase crime and also squatters. Mind you, some people are moving to Mogoditshane for reasonable rental and also to look for employment," Rakgare said at the time.
A source said merging the two Selebi-Phikwe constituencies creates space for additions.
“If two constituencies are merged then it creates an additional two to make them six. The delimitation and demarcation process focuses mostly on population or statistics, not political issues,” a source emphasised.
The population and areas of the two constituencies are as follows are Selebi-Phikwe East 26,454 and Selebi-Phikwe West 22,957. In 2012, the population stood at 33,404 in Serowe North East, 25,572 in Serowe North West and 35,358 in Serowe South.
Meanwhile, the 2012 Delimitation Commission report stated that residents of Selebi-Phikwe had suggested that the boundary between the two constituencies should be altered to augment the population of Selebi-Phikwe West, which was lower than that of Selebi-Phikwe East.
However, University of Botswana (UB) political scientist Mokaloba Mokaloba said: “I think it’s all about the Delimitation Commission recommendations and the population and housing census.
Remember, Selebi-Phikwe has seen a big decline since the closure of the BCL Mine, whilst Gaborone has always been on the increase. However, that as it may, there is always a political motive that one cannot rule out. There is always suspicion of the ruling party looking to weaken opposition-held areas and on the other hand strengthen theirs.”