Dijeng optimistic of winning Serowe West

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday June 26, 2023 06:00

Dijeng had tried many times against former area Member of Parliament (MP) Tshekedi Khama and lost in the BDP primaries. The Serowe West by-election will be held on July 8, 2023, following Khama’s disqualification from the National Assembly. “The constituents suffered a lot when their MP was absent from the constituency for a long time. Again, Khama was always absent and failed to address Kgotla meetings. Residents of this area want a person who would be able to relate with them as they share their grievances. Therefore, I stand a good chance since I had been with them through thick and thin. I have never distanced myself away from the area despite having lost party primaries,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.

Moreover, Dijeng said he had been working well with party members in the area by ensuring that structures are revived after some had collapsed. He said it was not easy when some party members who were supporting their tribal leaders defected to Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF). The BDP candidate added as one of the party leaders in the area, he had to do house-to-house campaigns in order to inform constituents that the party is still relevant and exists. On the previous party performance in Serowe, Dijeng said one of the things that affected them as a party, especially in Serowe West constituency, is that Khama left the BDP when on the eve of elections.

He continued; “We did not have enough time as the party to ready for elections but we performed much better. I believe we could have done much better if he had defected in time. Now, residents have realised that their voting pattern is disadvantaging them.” Dijeng said he believes that the house-to-house campaigns that they had been doing will yield good results since the residents are positively welcoming them. He, however said what worries him a lot and he is willing to advocate for is to improve internal roads, schools and clinics in the area. He said there is still a lack of access to digital services in Serowe West, especially in some of the villages. Dijeng also said there are still long overdue projects in Serowe West that needs to be carried out such as schools in some areas and internal roads. In addition, he acknowledged that with regard to the party’s performance, there has been a decline. He said out of six wards they managed to only win two which are Mmashoro and Malatswai.

Dijeng said they had ensured that campaign teams should be in every ward so that the whole constituency is covered. One of things that worry Dijeng is that the constituency is very wide and the road is difficult to access in some areas. In 2018, when the duo battled for the constituency under the BDP in the primary elections and Khama won by 2, 797 votes to Dijeng’s 1, 594. The other candidate, Keletso Rakhudu garnered 462 votes. Dijeng was handed the baton to contest the general elections by his party when Khama dumped the ruling party for BPF following its formation. BDP will be represented by Dijeng while Onalepelo Kedikilwe will vie for the seat through the BPF ticket. The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has not fielded a candidate but rather it will support the BPF. Botswana Congress Party (BCP) will field Sebusiso Ngwenya and Kefilwe Koboto will try his luck as an independent candidate. In 2019, this is how the parties were voted at Serowe West, BPF Khama 4,394, BDP Dijeng 2,405, UDC Roland Kambula 749, Alliance for Progressives (AP), Leremela Bogosing 387 and Spoilt 256.