Tshabalala wins dog-eat-dog BDP primaries
Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday March 28, 2023 06:00
The seat fell vacant following the death of Farayi Bonyongo early this year. It was Bonyongo, who won the Mapoka-Nlaphwane ward with 692 votes in 2019. He was followed by the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) with 356 votes, an independent candidate with 321 votes, and Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) with 176 votes.
Tshabalala bagged 143 votes followed by Paulos Nkoni, Falani Masalila, Tirelo Mukokomani, and Changu Molapisi with 96, 46, 37 and 27 votes respectively. The 349 people who voted in the internal plebiscite put the BDP in pole position to possibly win the impending by-election which date is yet to be announced by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
The win is possible if all people who voted in the BDP internal election had registered for the elections in 2019. Masalila, chairperson of BDP in Tati West and one of the contestants in the primaries said that “the primary election went well”. “We have not received any formal complaint from all the BDP activists who took part in the polls.
The voting process was generally peaceful and credible. After the election results were announced, all the losing candidates pledged to work cordially with the winning candidate,” Masalila said.
“We commend all the candidates for doing so because it will place us in a very good position to win the impending by-election. The interests of the party are more important than our personal interests.” Asked about his feelings following the win, Tshabalala said: “In short, I dedicate the win to the late councillor, Farayi Bonyongo.
I am who I am here because of Bonyongo.
I want to finish his assignment. I thank fellow BDP members for believing in me and entrusting me with the onerous responsibility of standing for them in the by-election. BDP has prevailed in this primary election.”