Francistowners fire up race for BDP women's wing

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Thursday April 30, 2009 00:00

 

A few days before the congress, which commences today, former Francistown district commissioner, Sylvia Muzila, emphatically altered the complexion of the race by declaring interest in the position of chairperson, albeit belatedly.

Muzila's entry into the battle renders the race for the Women's Wing top post a Francistown affair.

After the incumbent women's wing chairperson, Tebelelo Seretse, declared that she would not be available to defend her post, former Francistown Deputy Mayor, Angelinah Sengalo, who is currently the vice chairperson of the BDP women's wing was tipped by some women that they would rally behind her.

All this time, it has been assumed that the contest is limited to Sengalo, who also won the BDP ticket last year to represent the party as a council candidate for Botsalano ward in the Francistown West constituency.

Apparently, Sengalo has been running a low-key campaign until Muzila declared her interest this week 'driven by my experience in the public service and working with gender based organisations during my tenure as the DC'.

Seretse has decided to run for the main party chairmanship, challenging veteran politician, Daniel Kwelagobe, next July.

Before Muzila, who lost the BDP parliamentary primaries last year, declared her interest, it was only assumed that Sengalo and her team would run without meaningful opposition as there were no other names mentioned.

Sengalo and her team have been conducting their campaigns in a manner that 'we accommodated any possible challenge even from the floor of the congress as is often the case'.

To those in the know, Muzila played her cards very close to her chest, deliberately leaving her competition to remain complacent assuming that there was no opposition until she made her surprise declaration this week. Her supporters claim that the former DC did not just wake up one morning and declare her candidature without, thorough spadework.
The two women need no introduction given their background. They battled each other in the Francistown West constituency for the BDP ticket last year. At some stage, Sengalo was the deputy mayor here whilst Muzila was the DC. As women, they have also met at different fora to discuss women's issues.

But the battle for the control of the BDP women's wing has left the two women using everything at their disposal to win this fight. In this battle, it seems 'experience' is the main tool that is going to be employed to help the contestants win the day.

The battle is made big by the fact that it pits two Francistowners, who never thought they will come face-to-face one day against each other. Sengalo trusts her experience as a committee member of the BDP women's wing and a member of the main party Central Committee makes her an obvious choice.

Muzila looks to her experience in the civil service to make her the women's obvious choice.

Sengalo, who is a businessperson in Francistown, declared this week that she goes into the congress and elections with the full backing of the Women's Wing.

'When Seretse indicated that she was defending the position, some BDP women, including those serving in the current committee approached me that I should lead them,' declares Sengalo.

She adds that with the good number of years that she has served in the BDP Women's Wing as a committee member, 'I am the right person for the job'.

She reiterates that the experience she has amassed at both the main party Central Committee and the women's wing makes her an obvious choice to lead the Women's Wing, which is regarded as the BDP's largest constituency.

'I am convinced that with my experience as a politician and a woman activist for that matter, I have issues of women deep down my heart and it is this experience that makes me an obvious choice,' she declares excitedly.

Reminded that Muzila is also in the race, Sengalo trusted that she has done her assignment very well to the extent that she was confident that her team will deliver. She concurs that she only learnt on Tuesday morning that Muzila was also in the race.

On the other hand, Muzila says it is time she contests for positions of leadership in the BDP and she views the women's wing as a good entry point that would enable her to serve women.

'Because of my experience in the public service as the DC, where I worked closely with gender organisations, I believe with that experience I can help elevate women to greater heights,' she says.

During her tenure in the public service, Muzila says she has taken many courses on women in development and the concept of empowering women.

'When women put their feet forward demanding for empowerment, I was in the public service and I always supported their course. I also want to find myself at that top level of decision making and advocating for women needs,' she says.

Asked why she joined the race late, Muzila was not convinced that it was late at all. 'I don't think there is any significance about those who could have started earlier because at the end of the day, women are going to look at us and judge us from the floor of the congress,' she believes.

In her view, 'BDP women need someone like me who will be able to drive their political programmes into national development issues. Women should be part of a national development plan'.

Muzila insists that she has what it takes to give BDP women the requisite level of understanding of issues they need. She also emphasised that she is not into the BDP factions as, 'I am still new in the party and I don't know the significance of aligning to factions. I only trust that women will vote for me and that's all'.

Sengalo's team: vice chairperson-Malebogo Kruger who is making her debut in the committee, Keneilwe Mathangwane is defending the position of general secretary. Tshepo Wareus is vying for the position of vice general secretary as Esther Norris is not available this time around. Granny Sesupeng, also from Francistown, is defending the position of treasurer and Keotlogele Kerebotswe is defending the position of vice treasurer.

At press time, it was not clear who among the current additional members of the women's wing were available for election. Members include Dorah Moyo, Maria Boitshoko, Salome Lesole, Eunice Mnguni, Kenalemang Mosarwa, Helen Diau, Batoli Manyoni, Drill Kgwatala and Sekao Mhaladi.