BCP undecided over Serowe West by-election
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday May 29, 2023 06:00
The by-election was occasioned by the disqualification of former Serowe West legislator, Tshekedi Khama, after he missed numerous Parliament sessions following his self imposed exile to South Africa.
Tshekedi and his elder brother, former president Ian Khama, migrated to South Africa claiming that their lives in Botswana were in danger. The older Khama is facing criminal charges, something that he says is politically motivated.
The government of Botswana is denying such claims. Since the advent of politics in Botswana, Serowe has been stronghold of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) because the founding president of the ruling partly and Botswana, father to Tshekedi and Ian, late Sir Seretse Khama originated from Serowe and is from the Bangwato royal family.
However, the constituency was for the first time in history won by the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), a splinter party of the BDP, that was formed on the eve of the 2019 General Election following the bitter standoff between Khama and his successor President Mokgweetsi Masisi. The BCP has lost numerous by-elections to its parent organisation, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), amid the former and latter battle over governance issues. The prospects of the BCP making any significant gains in Serowe West, should it decide to contest the by-election, are nonexistent or negligible.
The battle of who will win the by-election is between the BPF and BDP although as per the 2019 General Election results, the former has better prospects of reclaiming the constituency. The BDP has a daunting task of reclaiming the constituency taking into consideration the political dynamics currently obtaining in Serowe (or all constituencies in Serowe) following the bitter standoff between Khama and Masisi, observers posit. In the 2019 general elections, the BPF won the constituency with 4,394 votes followed by the BDP with 2,405 votes.
The UDC came a distant third with 749 votes followed by the Alliance for Progressives (AP) with 387 votes. The BPF now stands a better chance of retaining Serowe West since it is now an affiliate of the UDC. The BPF’s chances have been enhanced following the exploratory talks of the AP also wanting to join the UDC. This therefore leaves the BCP with no prospects of making any significant impact should it decide to contest the by-election.
Asked if the BCP will contest in the Serowe West by-election or not, the party’ spokesperson Mpho Pheko said: “Yes we have noted the MP vacancy in Serowe West. We are still consulting our structures on whether to contest the parliamentary seat or not. The consultations will be finalised at the Leadership Forum to be held in Palapye on May 27. The way forward shall be communicated thereafter.” Meanwhile, former Palapye Member of Parliament (MP), Moisereala Goya, has rubbished rumours that he is eyeing the Serowe West by-election. Goya said that he is aware of rumours and newspaper reports that he is gunning to compete in the BPF primary election to replace Tshekedi. “Rumours to the effect that I want to try my luck in the BPF primary election and then if successful contest in the by-election are unfounded. I have no interest in representing the BPF in Serowe. My only interest is to represent it in Palapye,” Goya dismissed. On the other hand, former mayor of Francistown, James Kgalajwe, has confirmed that he will throw his hat in the ring and contest in the BPF primary election geared towards replacing Tshekedi.
In the 2019 General Election, Kgalajwe represented the BPF in Francistown East and lost to Buti Billy of the BDP. Kgalajwe is however optimistic of winning the BPF primary election and subsequently the by-election in Serowe West despite the fact that he represented the party in Francistown in 2019. “While it is true that I represented the BPF in Francistown East in the 2019 polls, people should understand that just like other people, I came to Francistown to look for employment and economic opportunities.
I originate from Serowe and coming to look for opportunities in Francistown will in no way hurt my prospects of winning the BPF primary election and ultimately the by-election. There are many people who were in my position in the past but they went on to win primary and general elections after they relocated to their home villages. The deputy speaker of the National Assembly Pono Moatlhodi is one such example of those politicians,” said a confident Kgalajwe. Numerous efforts to contact another BPF activist, councilor Gaotilwe Omphile of Palamaokue ward who is also said to be gunning to replace Tshekedi were futile.