BDP returns with guns blazing
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday May 29, 2023 06:00
The idea according to the ruling party’s secretary-general, Kavis Kario, is to regain what they had lost in the last polls after some diehards had decided during the time to emotionally out of fury vote out the BDP from its long held stronghold. The BDP’s return to Serowe comes at a crucial time when pundits are already doubting the party as a viable contender in the area.
The impending by-election is crucial for both the BDP and its splinter party, Botswana Patriotic Party (BPF). Whilst the BDP would like to gain lost ground, the beleaguered BPF on the other hand would want to prove a point to its doubters that its victory four years ago was not by fluke. The BPF’s main threat is factionalism which is tearing the party asunder. Whilst BPF leader, Biggie Butale, was recently boosted by a court victory that emphasised that he is indeed the substantive party president, a faction that wants to usher in the party’s patron Ian Khama as its leader has been regrouping and making the incumbent stay in office problematic.
For their part, the BDP is insistent that what they consider the BPF’s staying power has since fizzled out. Kario doesn’t think the BPF is relevant anymore as it simply capitalised on what was prevalent in 2019 and now no more obtainable. It was President Mokgweetsi Masisi/Khama fracas that attracted sympathy to the Khama cause which Kario argues is no longer an issue, as the constituents now know the truth.
The Serowe West by-election has been precipitated by a vacancy following the former elected legislator Tshekedi Khama’s failure to attend two consecutive Parliament meetings thereby jeopardising his seat. He is currently on self-imposed exile in South Africa with his family following tussles with the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS). On April 21, 2023, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Phandu Skelemani wrote in Government Gazette Extraordinary: “...Member of Parliament for Serowe West has been absent from the sittings of the National Assembly starting from November 2022 up to April, 2023.” By the same publication, the Serowe West constituency was declared vacant.
At the 2019 polls, Tshekedi representing the newly formed BPF garnered 4,394 votes to win the parliamentary seat at Serowe West. BDP’s Moemedi Dijeng came second via 2,405 votes. Rolent Gambule and Leremela Bogosing of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and Alliance for Progressives polled 749 and 387 votes respectively. Kario is adamant that his party has been present on the ground doing everything possible to recover what they lost in 2019. “We have noticed misleading reports that we are weak on the ground in the Serowe constituencies,” declared Kario. His explanation is that BDP structures (the region and branches) are fully functional and speak or themselves.
“Our people on the ground have been pushing the registration drive of members and these are internal processes and have not been publicly announced,” explained the BDP scribe. He was adamant that his party was in charge in the Serowe District as they are in control of the local authority as both the council chairperson and deputy are from the BDP. Kario was elated that the BDP was making inroads into the base of its opponent with ease. “We are going to definitely improve our fortunes in Serowe West,” the optimistic he declared. Although doubting Thomases feel that the BDP will have a tall order in regaining ground in Serowe, Kario laughs off the suggestion.
He indicated that as people on the ground, the BDP never left Serowe. “It’s the BPF that never existed in Serowe and it was elected by BDP cadres,” he said, adding that the BPF never had structures in Serowe and not even membership to worry the BDP. Apparently, what gives the BDP confidence of ‘ousting’ the BPF is that BDP members have since realised that chieftainship and politics cannot be treated as one and that the ruling party has never been against bogosi as claimed by others. He cited the instability gripping the BPF as a shame for a young party. “The BPF has been torn asunder by factionalism. Some of the BDP diehards who enjoyed stability at their party are now retracing their steps back to the ruling party,” he said. Kario spoke confidently that the ‘returnees’ are going to help the BDP to regain lost ground.
The BDP is however, yet to call for expression of interest for the impending by-election to identify a candidate (s). Quizzed about what his party was going to do as it has performed badly in the previous council ward by-elections across the country between 2022 and 2023 Kario said: “ Please be reminded that the by-elections were held when people were hardest hit by economic hardships. Job losses, businesses closure and more opportunities lost during the COVID-19 pandemic caused a lot of BDP rejection.”
He said when Batswana started facing societal ills of high magnitude, they repelled the BDP citing various concerns. “The council by-elections were held at a time when people were very angry at us. Now, with people seeing that the BDP was on the right track, things are bound to change for the better,” the BDP secretary-general said. Meanwhile, the BPF says it is ready and raring to go regarding the impending Serowe West by-election. “We have sent expression of interest to our members so that those who are interested in representing the party can go ahead and show interest as the expression of interest will be closed end of this month,” BPF president, Butale, told Mmegi this week. He indicated that thereupon the constituency committee will look into the names that would have been submitted and where there is no need for primary election the constituency committee will forward the name of the identified candidate.