Regoeng saw it coming

Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday July 30, 2024 09:29

By neglecting his constituents and slacking in Parliament debates and hardly bringing forth the struggles of residents of Molepolole, Oabile Regoeng sealed his fate in the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)’s Bulela Ditswe over the weekend. According to information gathered during the primaries, Regoeng is a victim of his own doing, or rather not doing what he was supposed to do as a legislator. “Sometimes I forget that Molepolole has two MPs. The north constituency has been suffering and its MP just went to Parliament to warm the seat.

The BDP should make it easy for us and remove him,” one angry resident said. Regoeng’s fate was not only decided by the BDP over the weekend, it has long been coming since he won the elections in 2019. The villagers had hoped that he would revive the overly quiet and uninteresting Molepolole North but instead, nothing was delivered. His fate was decided across party lines as the struggles of the village affects each and every single resident regardless of their party affiliates. Molepolole is one village that is often in the news for not so palatable reasons. If it is not the escalating crime, it is the constant struggle of water shortage that needs someone who is active both in Parliament and in the village. Regoeng was accused by residents of not heeding the call to be the Messiah when he was needed the most and BDP must have felt the pressure from all corners that if something is not done about him, they might bid the constituency good bye come the October General Election. “This is the worst leadership we have had in this constituency in a long time.

The BDP will be doing this constituency disservice if they do not remove him as residents are angry about his quietness,” said the source. Besides hardly making any meaningful contributions in Parliament much to the disappointment of his electorates, Regoeng was hardly heard or felt in his constituency. The drying of taps in Molepolole has been a constant struggle for the residents especially in his north constituency even after there was assurance that shortage of water will be a thing of the past but Regoeng was accused of being quiet. “Regoeng le fa a go fitlhela mo shopong ga kake a go dumedisa. Le akanya o ka buelela batho jang. Tota ene nne re mo tlhophile fela go tsaya kgaolo mo opposition e seng gore o na le seabe sepe,” said one BDP member. One can confidently say he had it coming because he failed to speak for its people even when it suited him. According to residents who believe the constituency is long overdue for a new leadership, most said Regoeng failed to make his voice even where he could have taken advantage.

One resident said Regoeng, despite Molepolole always on the news, he has never taken advantage to address the residents as a leader. His final nail in the coffin came during the tragedy that happened in Molepolole of the St Engenas members who died heading to a pilgrimage in Limpopo, South Africa, over the Easters Holidays. Aggrieved residents decried that it felt like Regoeng was watching a match and did not want to participate. Local villagers were heard during that time saying Regoeng did not even console the residents like he was expected by many to do so and his loss over the weekend was long coming. Meanwhile, even his constituency over the weekend was the quietest during the day but at night the electorate came out in large numbers to cast their votes and sealed his fate. At the end, Regoeng lost his parliamentary seat to Bashi Kgakge with a difference of 239 votes. Bashi Kgakge got 1, 774, Regoeng 1, 535, Phetso Kgosiemang walked away with 643 while Kabo Sebele got 596.