Palapye council battle masks UDC rift
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday June 22, 2026 06:00
The leadership wrangles have intensified following the removal of former council chairperson Kabo Ketshogile, a development that has since triggered legal action and heightened political tensions within the District.
BPF member David Ikanyeng has taken PDC, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to court to interdict Minister Ketlhalefile Motshegwa’s decision to endorse Ketshogile as the legitimate PDC chairperson when, in fact, some councilors had voted for him to be the council chairperson.
On paper, the numbers suggest that the UDC remains firmly in control of the council. The Palapye District Council is made up of 36 councillors, with the UDC holding 16 seats, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) seven, the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) seven, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) four, and the Botswana Republican Party (BRP) one seat.
However, insiders say the numerical advantage enjoyed by the UDC does not tell the full story. According to a source within the ruling coalition who is closely following developments, the conflict is primarily between UDC direct members and BNF councillors operating under the UDC umbrella.
The source explained that among the 16 UDC councillors, 10 are direct members, five belong to the BNF, while one is affiliated with the Alliance for Progressives (AP). It is these internal dynamics, rather than opposition pressure, that are said to be driving the instability currently witnessed at the council.
“The truth of the matter is that the conflict is largely internal. Some direct members who are closely aligned to the Member of Parliament for Tswapong North constituency, Prince Maele, believe that Kabo Ketshogile has political ambitions that extend beyond local government,” the source said. According to the source, some councillors suspect that Ketshogile intends to challenge Maele in future UDC primary elections and has allegedly been positioning himself politically within the constituency.”They believe he has been strategically associating himself with development initiatives in Tswapong North to build political support ahead of any future challenge. Whether these allegations are true or not is another matter, but that perception is what has fuelled much of the hostility against him,” the source alleged.
Furthermore, the source stated that some UDC direct members feel they have not received adequate recognition within the council’s leadership structures despite what they regard as their numerical strength.
There is reportedly a growing belief among some direct members that, because they wield significant influence in both Palapye and Tswapong North, the council chairperson position should naturally be held by one of their own.