Rakgare leads in BCPYL presidential race
Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday January 14, 2015 16:47
It has since emerged that Rakgare appears in all two unofficial lobby lists for those who slug it out for positions in the youth league, which currently puts him at pole position to be elected president.
This is provided he does not lose the backing of one lobby group or another challenger enters the presidential election race.
Rakgare features in a lobby list, which is from the southern part of the country, which has been circulating unofficially since late last year mostly in the social media.
The list reportedly enjoys the backing of former party youth league leader Lotty Manyepetsa. In addition Rakgare features as candidate for president in another lobby list allegedly developed in the north on Sunday.
Incumbent national organising secretary Omphile Kebeileng who is based in Francistown is also in pole position to defend his position as both south and north lobby groups have reportedly endorsed him.
Also favourite to win the elections is Reba Inkanyeng who allegedly appears in both lobby lists. The space for other executive key positions and other lower leadership posts in the north list is yet to be finalised. The same applies to the southern side, which too is yet to finalise lower leadership positions.
It was initially speculated that one Nthusi Chimbise will challenge Rakgare, but a preliminary lobby list released in closed-door meeting by Chimbise’s northern team in a meeting held in Francistown on Sunday has allegedly endorsed Rakgare as president while Nthusi will contest the position of chairperson.
Yesterday Mmegi contacted Thabo Nyambe who has been elected the campaign manager for the northern team and this is what he had to say:
“ Yes we met on Sunday to discuss our lobby list but I cannot discuss contents of the meeting because nothing has been finalised with regards to who will contest the elections.”
He further distanced himself from talk that his team is backing Rakgare or any party member for the youth league for any executive position. He said that they would hold a meeting in Mahalapye early next month with other youth league members north of Dibete to decide candidates for the April elections.
Yesterday another insider within the BCP said that the list in the north might change because there are some who are part of the north lobby group who do not support Rakgare as president.
Yesterday Rakgare, speaking on behalf of the southern lobby team said that the names of those who will compete for positions would be finalised on Sunday.
“At the moment I have no comment regarding those who will be contesting for positions in the youth league because nothing has been finalised yet. We will finalise the names on Sunday.
“After that we will work on our road map (what they will do if elected),” he said yesterday in a telephone interview.
On the list, which was developed in the south, Thato Osupile indicate’s that he will tussle for the position of secretary general.
Calvin Seabe, who challenged Tshekedi Khama of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in the Serowe North-West constituency in the general elections, will fight for the youth league’s deputy secretary general while Nthabiseng Jacobs will contest the position of treasurer.
In the lobby list from the southern part of the country Oarabile Motlaleng will contest for the position of chairperson. The BCP is expected to issue a writ two months before the early April elections.