Ex-student leader elected Gabs Mayor
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday December 9, 2014 14:47
His deputy , Kagiso Tshekega, got 24 votes , defeating Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) nominated councillor MacDonald Peloetetse who won only 11 votes.
The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has 22 councillors, BDP has nine, while Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has five. For the election of the deputy mayor, it showed that some members of the BCP had voted with both the UDC and BDP as one of the votes was spoiled. Thutlwe was unopposed in the mayoral seat. When addressing the members, Thutlwe thanked electorates and his father, who was also present during council session, for his support.
“I really thank my father for grooming me. I am what I am because of him since he supported me in my political life.
“Gaborone people also have spoken. Indeed they want change and people who can listen to their cries and grievances,” Thutlwe said.
He promised councillors that he would cooperate with them and asked them to work diligently in order to develop Gaborone.
The newly elected mayor said he was worried that Gaborone is becoming less appealing to people because of its bad roads, high rate of unemployment and its filthy bus rank, something the new mayor said is embarrassing.
“ Our city is supposed to be attractive, not the way it is. We cannot expect tourists to visit our city when its standard is going down unlike other cities in other countries.
“ It’s only us who can change the image of our city not anyone else,” he said.
He asked council officials to work hand in hand with councillors and to desist from unnecessary fights. He said as councillors, they should represent and fight for their electorates’ rights.
The mayor said it is more important for councilors and council officials to work with vendors than it is to arbitrarily evict them from their stalls since they survive by selling food and vegetables.
“We should not forget that the unemployment rate is high. At least these people are not stealing from anyone,” he said.