Delimitation dents opposition hopes
Chakalisa Dube | Monday February 27, 2023 06:00
But several other hopefuls will certainly benefit from the planned demarcations. One of the biggest beneficiaries of the proposed changes is likely to be Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Shashe West, Fidelis Molao. Molao will expectedly represent the BDP at the 2024 polls.
He has witnessed four wards being carved out of his constituency as per recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. The wards in question are Marapong, Sebina, Nshakazhogwe and Marobela.
The wards will be under Nkange constituency at next year’s General Election. Shashe West has gained two wards being Shashe Mooke and Mabesekwa. Shashe Mooke is in the hands of a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) councillor who contested under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) while Mabesekwa is represented by a ruling party councillor. Shashe West currently consists of nine wards namely, Matsitama, Majana, Marapong, Sebina, Nshakazhogwe, Marobela, Mathangwane, Chadibe & Borolong.
There are 13 villages within the wards. Majana consist of Makobo, Jamataka and Natale villages. Marobela consist of Marobela and Mafhungo-Hubona villages while Marapong ward consists of Marapong and Semitwe villages. The other remaining wards have adopted the names of respective villages. Molao is probably the biggest beneficiary of the Delimitation because three of the four villages (Marapong, Marobela and Sebina) that have been sliced out of his constituency are opposition dominated and nearly cost him dearly at the last general elections. The BDP has been losing ground in the three wards in recent years.
The quality coupled with the resourcefulness of the opposition candidates as well as lack of agility of the BDP in terms of developing the three wards has made it difficult for Molao and his council candidates to make inroads. To his (Molao) advantage, the other six wards are BDP strongholds. The party has dominated them for many years. As a result, Molao and his councillors would count on winning them all at the 2024 General Election. He will also count on winning Mabesekwa ward (which has been shifted to his constituency and is also under the BDP). Molao’s likely strong challenger in 2024 will be Alfred Mashungwa. But for Mashungwa beating the incumbent will be a very tall order.
He contested under the UDC banner at the 2019 General Election and lost to Molao by a respectable margin of 1,270. He is however expected to contest under the BCP next year because the party has announced plans to quit the UDC. It remains unclear as to who will represent the UDC at the next general elections. The BCP has strong existence in Marapong, Marobela and Sebina. To Mashungwa, the delimitation means that his stronghold has been shattered and he needs to double his efforts if he is to defeat Molao.
The three villages are also amongst the most populated in the constituency something that would have boosted Mashungwa’s chances of winning had it not been for the rearrangement of constituencies. He will need more resources and time to reshape the narrative in favour of the BCP. This is because the BCP is yet to assert itself than the ruling party in the remaining villages (in the constituency). Though dynamics appear to have changed much in his favour, Molao believes that he could have still won the constituency even when the delimitation could not have scrapped some wards. “I have always been confident of winning Shashe West even if those wards were not taken away.
I believe I have delivered in terms of basic facilities since I became MP. Some wards were lost in 2009 such as Sebina and Mathangwane and we regained them in 2014,” he said yesterday. Molao posited that the main complaint in the three wards was water shortage which is now a thing of the past because the villages were connected to Ntimbale dam last year. He further elucidated that when he went to the elections in 2019, 98% of the Shashe West villages were without water but today it is the reverse as 98% of the constituency has water and the remaining villages (Mathangwane, Makobo, Natale Jamataka cluster) two percent will be connected this financial year.
“The other issue was the Sebina /Marapong police issue which has now been resolved because both Sebina and Marapong will be getting a police post with staff houses this year. We have completed Marapong clinic maternity wing and it will start operating this year. We have reticulated electricity to all the villages and we are expanding Sebina post office,” he added. Molao is also confident that the Mandunyane-Mathangwane and the A3 roads would have commenced before the 2024 General Election, something that would ultimately earn him votes. “Of course now that the constituency has been reduced, I am happy. I will be able to have more time to service the constituency but make no mistake, I was confident of winning even if Shashe West was left the same because I work and trust the people.”
Mashungwa did admit that the delimitation exercise has to some extent dented his chances of winning the 2024 General Election. He said that before the delimitation, the BCP membership in the constituency stood at 6,000. “Our membership will inevitably shrink because the wards that have since been shifted to Nkange were amongst the most populated in the constituency. We will however not allow the delimitation to demoralise us. We have started working. We have lined up several projects that we hope will help us appeal to the public.
In recent days, we have had meetings around the constituency as part of trying to set the tone for the preparations for the general elections. Our mobilisation strategy will be anchored by the fact that many people in the constituency are wallowing in poverty,” Mashungwa said. On a positive note, he said of the two wards that have been shifted to Shashe West (from Tonota) one belongs to the BCP. “This then means that we already have something to build on leading to the general elections.”