Bokone result exposes UDC cracks
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday June 2, 2015 15:41
The BCP grabbed 453 votes, with Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) getting 404 and the UDC candidate coming third with 271. In the 2014 elections, the UDC’s Titus Kebuileng won the ward with 590 votes, followed by the BDP with 482 and 435 going to BCP.
Kebuileng resigned from the ward after his employer, the University of Botswana, threatened him with dismissal. The UB does not allow its employees to hold political office.
Gilbert Mangole, the secretary general of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) said coalition partner member, the Botswana National Front (BNF) had made clear their intentions in previous meetings with the party. The UDC is made up of the BNF, the BMD and the Botswana People’s Party.
“Some BNF members had made it clear during our meetings that they were not going to vote for the UDC. Previously that ward had been given to the BMD but BNF members insisted that they wanted to contest it since it was one of their strongholds.
“At some point, the BNF even said they would have preferred an independent candidate.”
Mangole said the UDC could have retained the ward had all coalition parties worked collectively as per the parties’ agreement. Some BNF members did not even participate or help during the by-election, he said.
“This is an isolated case in Kgatleng. We have never experienced this problem before and I hope the BNF and UDC leadership will meet over the matter.
“The UDC movement is not going to be shaken by this small issue. We need each other all the time and we would never let the enemy divide us,” he said.
He said a full report would be made and submitted to the UDC.
Meanwhile, triumphant BCP members said their party had met BNF youth activists during the campaign who had made it clear that they would vote for the BCP.
“Their reasons are simple. They are not happy with the conduct of the BMD leaders and its members. They say the recent mess at the BMD youth congress shows that it still has a long way to go,” BCP youth league president, Macdonald Rakgare told journalists yesterday.
He said while the BCP does not have a formal agreement with the BNF, the youths meet often to discuss certain issues as their ideologies are not different.
“People should know that the BNF and BCP have something in common and we will continue to meet and discuss certain issues,” he said.
“It is clear that Batswana still believe in the BCP project and they are begging to grasp our message on where the BCP wants to take this country if given power.”