No threat in BPF retaining Tshekedi’s seat — Political analyst
Pini Bothoko | Tuesday April 25, 2023 06:00
Without an MP for the constituency, the party strongly believes that the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) will easily retain the seat with a high margin.
Tshekedi was last week disqualified by the National Assembly as an MP after missing two consecutive sittings of Parliament.
Currently holding the position of BPF secretary-general, Tshekedi has been in South Africa since last year after he and his wife, Thea and his twin brother, Anthony, were detained by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) over alleged possession of weapons of war.
Together with his brother, former president Ian and other family members are currently living in South Africa because they say they fear persecution by the Masisi-led government.
Even though the BPF is currently faced with chaos following key members resigning from the party, the University of Botswana (UB) political analyst, Adam Mfundisi said there is no threat to the BPF retaining the seat in any by-election in the constituency. He stated that Serowe constituencies are safe for now and the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) even with State assets cannot win the seat.
Mfundisi is of the view that voters in the area are behind the BPF and the disqualification will be interpreted by many as a continued onslaught by the current regime on the tribe and its leadership. “Voters in Tshekedi’s constituency will deliver a blow to the BDP. The prevailing environment is such that voters are sceptical of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the government conducting free, fair, democratic, and accountable elections and hence extra vigilance in the opposition side,” Mfundisi said.
Mfundisi said the BPF is without a doubt concerned by the developments but expected it sooner rather than later. However, he said the current regime has displayed arrogance and vindictiveness in its modus operandi, something that will help the BPF win in the by-election easily. “Former president Khama and [his brother] Tshekedi are still influential in the Bangwato heartland.
Information communication technologies including social media will play a vital role in the Khamas appealing to the hearts and minds of the voters to continue to vote for the BPF,” he said.
He stated that Masisi’s government has made serious political blunders in dealing with the complaints and appeals of the tribe. Furthermore, Mfundisi said the Bangwato tribe is highly polarised and the government's handling of the issues raised by the tribe was political suicide. “I hope the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse can throw himself in the ring to be humbled by voters.
He has overrated himself as the kingpin of the Bangwato tribe.
Whoever the BPF candidate brings to the ring, he or she will easily win the constituency. I am expecting opposition parties to throw their combined weight behind the BPF and its candidate because, from the President’s recent press conference and the vitriolic attack on Khama, there is no room for reconciliation between them,” he said.
Mfundisi added that Tshekedi’s disqualification is a new development in the history of Botswana politics that a sitting MP is disqualified based on failure to attend sittings of Parliament for a certain period as determined by Parliament.