Election preview
Onalenna Kelebeile | Thursday October 23, 2014 16:46
Selebi-Phikwe West
Parliamentary hopefuls:
• Dithapelo Keorapetse, BCP
• Opelo Makhandlela, BDP
• Moeti Mohwasa, UDC
This ultimate match will prove whether the ruling BDP is strong enough to snatch the constituency from the BCP after it was humiliated in the last general elections.
The constituency will attract interest as observers would be eager to see whether the youthful Keorapetse will live up to his former party president Gilson Saleshando’s staying power to retain the constituency.
Selebi-Phikwe East
Parliamentary hopefuls:
• Nonofho Molefhi, BDP
• Dimpho Mashaba, UDC
• Kgoberego Nkawana, BCP
• Oarabile Tshenyego, Independent
It promises to be a bare-knuckle contest as the seemingly less confident ruling party is challenged to retain the constituency while the BCP must prove it is just as capable.
The UDC also does not stand a good chance looking at the fact that BNF previously garnered only 701 against the ruling party’s 3,717.
The Umbrella is however likely to increase its numbers.
Mmadinare
Parliamentary hopefuls:
• Kefentse Mzwinila, BDP
• Christopher Motsholapheko, BCP
Mmadinare constituency remains a BDP stronghold.
Even this time around the party will comfortably win without any hassle.
Outgoing MP Ponatshego Kedikilwe has been winning the constituency with very comfortable margins against a never-say-die Motsholapheko who kept coming for more.
Certainly it is his quest to see the BCP winning the constituency one good day. In the last general elections Kedikilwe trounced Motsholapheko 6,304 to 2, 542 votes.
Bobirwa
Parliamentary hopefuls:
• Taolo Lucas, BCP
• Shaw Kgathi, BDP
• Kgauhelo Machete, UDC
Bobirwa constituency also remains the ruling party stronghold, though BCP continues to fight tooth and nail.
Kgathi won the last elections with 5,899 votes against Lucas’ 5,000 votes.
Though the BDP may win this time, BCP would undoubtedly close the previous margins looking at the way the party continues to grow in the constituency.
UDC has also entered the race in the constituency, with Machete as its candidate.
However, chances are very low that he would pull impressive numbers. Besides the BCP, the opposition has never contested the constituency.
Here, it seems, bywords are BDP and BCP.
Tswapong North
Parliamentary hopefuls:
• Prince Maele, BDP
• Sethabelo Modukanele, independent
• Montwedi Mokhurutshe, BCP
Tswapong North constituency also remains a BDP stronghold and chances are that the party will be unassailable, given that the opposition has yet to put its foot in the door.
With an astronomical figure of 6, 049 votes Maele was the winner followed by independent Gabagopole Sebele.
BCP, which now has Mokhurutshe as their candidate, came a distant third with 1,313 votes. BNF could only manage 288 votes.
This time around the UDC has opted out of the race while Modukanele has entered the race as an independent candidate.
Tswapong South
Parliamentary hopefuls:
• Dorcus Makgato-Malesu, BDP
• Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, BCP
Here UDC has fielded only council candidates in Moshopha, Ramokgonami, Chadibe, Mokobeng and Sefhare.
The race for Tswapong South constituency pits BDP’s Makgato- Malesu against Dr Gobotswang of the BCP.
It is likely to be a tough contest here as Malesu and Gobotswang have both come out firing on all cylinders in their quest to be the victors.
Gobotswang has been living in the constituency full time for sometime doing a lot of groundwork ahead of the general elections.
The constituency is naturally a BDP stronghold but BCP has been making inroads over sometime now. It remains to be seen on Friday whether BCP would be able to close the 1,008 margin from the last elections.
Malesu is a new entrant in the race after she went to parliament on specially elected ticket.
Gobotswang garnered 4,175 votes against Oreeditse Molebatsi’s 5,183 and BNF’s Terone Koobonye with a paltry 750 votes.
With the UDC out of the race there is high possibility that its members in the constituency would opt for opposition, BCP.