Ministers uneasy as Bulela Ditswe tensions rise
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday August 14, 2023 06:00
The shift in attention is towards constituencies that some Ministers are eyeing and others BDP members believe are easily winnable. Already pressure is mounting in some of the constituencies with the start of faint campaigns despite the party having not made pronouncements on primary elections.
Some members have already started complaining that other democrats have started to campaign or are holding campaigns disguised as events. The complaints have already reached party offices or branches. They feel that Ministers are going against party rules and regulations of Bulela Ditswe. Already constituency MP aspiring candidates are constantly engaging the people as a means to rail them in.
Serame vs Dikoloti
(Goodhope/Mmathethe)Some of the highly contested areas or constituencies include the new constituency of Goodhope/Mmathethe, where it is expected that the Minister of Finance and SEMP Peggy Serame and the Minister of Health Dr Edwin Dikoloti will lock horns. Dikoloti was in 2019 elected as the area MP of Molapowabojang/Mmathethe, a constituency which has since been merged with Goodhope/Mabule after the delimitation exercise. Before the two areas were merged, Serame, who is the also the party Women’s Wing president, was vying for the Goodhope/Mabule constituency after it was announced that incumbent legislator, Eric Molale will not be contesting next year’s general election. It has since become more apparent that both Serame and Dikoloti have hit the ground running and are busy holding some activities in the area. Another contender for the area is former councillor Kopo Mononi.
Mzwinila vs Molebatsi (Mmadinare)Another interesting area is the Mmadinare constituency where Lands and Water Affairs Minister Kefentse Mzwinila and Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Molebatsi Molebatsi will face each other in what is a repeat of the 2018 BDP primary elections. Mzwinila lost the constituency to incumbent Molebatsi in 2018 and this time around Mzwinila fancies a comeback and he is secretly positioning himself.
It has since become apparent that the fight between the pair will be a tough one in the upcoming Bulela Ditswe as Molebatsi wants to retain his seat. The campaign has slowly begun in the area as both legislators have begun sponsoring social activities in the area in the hope of bringing voters closer. Mzwinila is also the former MP of the area. The Mmadinare constituency, since its inception, has always been a BDP stronghold. This is a constituency that had BDP heavyweight and former Vice President, Ponatshego Kedikilwe as its MP for the longest time.
Moagi vs Kereng (Ramotswa)Minerals and Energy Minister, Lefoko Moagi will cross sword with the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Philda Kereng in the upcoming Bulela Ditswe in Ramotswa. Moagi is the incumbent MP while Kereng is the SEMP. Moagi made his debut in Parliament in 2019, but recently came under attack after he failed to verify whether or not Kgosi Mosadi Seboko was telling the truth when she accused President Mokgweetsi Masisi of meddling in the Judiciary.
But when Parliament in March removed Kgosi Mosadi from the five-member Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Moagi claimed he did not support the move and indicated that he did not agree with Kgosi Mosadi’s removal. Kereng, who is also from the Ramotswa constituency, is said to have differed with the party caucus in the Kgosi Mosadi PAP removal issue. In this area, the competition is expected to be very tight between the ministers. Mmegi has learnt that the duo is campaigning quietly and they are also holding activities in the area. Even though the two have started early campaigns, their presence is not vigorous like in other constituencies and tension has not yet brewed.
However, the tricky part is that some Bamalete are still angry with the government over the farmland known as Forest Hill 9-KO which government wanted to take. However, Bmalete have retained the title deed for Forest Hill 9-KO farm and have expressed erosion of trust in the BDP especially Moagi. With battle lines drawn between the ministers, Mmegi was recently informed that some incumbent MPs wanted Bulela Ditswe to be suspended as they believed that time is no longer on their side.
Last year the party leadership announced that by March 2023, Bulela Ditswe machinery would be in motion but it was delayed by the census report and delimitation exercise. The concern for some members was that Bulela Ditswe needs time, therefore they needed to be given enough time to campaign. They felt that time has passed since it is already the third quarter of the year before the general election year. According to a source, members believe that the national council and extraordinary congress must discuss some of the constituencies which members should compromise.
In an interview with the BDP secretary-general Kavis Kario this week, he said: “Dates for primary election would be set after both national council and extraordinary congress that will be held at the beginning of this month. What is happening in some constituencies within the BDP is nothing new. The same thing is happening in opposition parties. Soon the misunderstanding amongst the members will be over after the primaries and things will go back to the way it was. The misunderstanding or tension as you may call it, will be contained”.
Gaborone constituencies
These are some of the areas of interest as some names have started to come up. Unlike other constituencies, Gaborone constituencies are tricky and are winnable by all parties depending on various factors.
Moreover, winning is dependable on the contestants since the BDP has won all Gaborone constituencies. Also this time around many are hopeful that the constituencies might have more than three contenders.
Even though the names have not come out openly for the contenders, the names of those who might stand are already circulating.
Another area that BDP members are expecting to see fireworks is the Lobatse constituency where the incumbent MP and also former Minister of Finance Thapelo Matseka will battle with former Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Sadique Kebonang and former Minister of Health Alfred Madigele. Both candidates have started their campaigns in the area. Kebonang is the former MP of the area. Madigele has temporarily relocated to Lobatse from Molapowabojang/Mmathethe where he was defeated by Dikoloti in the 2018 Bulela Ditswe. They have all started to work the ground. On the other hand, Matsheka feels hard hit by the recent accusation of being linked to a murder case of Tlotso Karema, a Standard One student who was murdered last year. Even though he has not been formally charged, he is already suing the State, because he believes the entire accusations have stained his reputation and voters may never see him the same way.
Molepolole South brawlStill, one of the highly interesting constituencies, Molepolole South is one to look out for as one of the few areas which gives the BDP sleepless nights with contenders continually fighting and disturbing the peace.
Councillor Geoffrey Sibisibi and Minister for State President Kabo Morwaeng will lock horns in the primaries. The two have divided the area into two due to their early campaigns. Of recent, Morwaeng complained to the party about campaigns that he alleges Sibisibi is doing in the area. In Selebi-Phikwe West, Assistant Minister of Trade and Industry Beauty Manake is said to leading the race for BDP primaries. Manake, who is eyeing the constituency might contest against the former Teaching Service Management (TSM) director Opelo Makhandela.
However, Mmegi has learnt that another third contender may join the race soon. Manake is busy holding events in Selebi-Phikwe West in order to familiarise herself with the constituents.