How Kgosi reformed �Hardrock� to �sta soft�
Oarabile Mosikare | Tuesday August 18, 2015 13:56
After flying around in a hired chopper with the leader of the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Duma Boko, Lotlamoreng managed to even the game at the last minute.
When the mighty Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) took advantage of its incumbency by using state resources to campaign in the Goodhope/Mabule constituency, the UDC used its own resources. Amongst its strategies, the BDP deployed cabinet ministers and backbenchers to campaign for Molale.
The poor people of Goodhope/Mabule constituency were presented with Molale as their Moses who would rescue them from the shackles of bondage. One of the BDP campaigners vice president Mokgweetsi Masisi, who by virtue of his position is entitled to official transport, joined his boss in the sky.
This includes the use of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) helicopter, which transported him, some cabinet ministers as well as other BDP activists to Molale’s launch two weeks ago. Agriculture minister Patrick Ralotsia and assistant local government minister Botlogile Tshireletso addressed kgotla meetings a few days before the elections to remind Barolong about poverty alleviation programmes.
The cabinet had relocated to the constituency. But last week, Boko changed the atmosphere of the campaign by employing the use of a hired chopper to move around the constituency with Lotlamoreng.
The strategy was a game changer. Here, the otherwise shy kgosi with limited resources could match the BDP pound to pound. By the election day, this strategy and others had changed the political atmosphere of the otherwise conservative constituency.
By Saturday even an apolitical could analyse how the race would be determined. Places where a team of our news team visited were predominantly ‘Moono’. The ‘Moononites’ dominated the drinking holes and small social gatherings.
In a constituency that had been dominated by the BDP since independence until the 2014 general elections, few people wore its red, black and white colours. On the other hand, many people were clad in the gold, black and yellow colours of UDC. At Goodhope Senior Secondary School where verification of ballot boxes and counting was conducted, UDC activists were by far in the majority; they outclassed their competitors in song and dance; and they camped outside the school premises until the announcement of results in the early hours of Monday.
It was obvious the predominantly Barolong constituency had resolved with to rally behind kgosikgolo. Just like the Bangwato and Batawana who have their dikgosi in Parliament, Barolong now also have their own. He joins President Ian Khama of the BDP, who is the Bangwato kgosi and Tawana II of Batawana, the UDC legislator from Maun West.
When the election results were announced Lotlamoreng had humbled his subjects, Molale and Comfort Maruping of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP).
He won with 6,152 votes followed by Molale with 4,372 and Maruping with 385. There were 130 spoilt votes.
Lotlamoreng told the media that he would fight for developments in his constituency. He admitted that there was serious lack of developments in the constituency.
“We also have serious shortage of water in the constituency and will talk to the relevant minister about the problem,” said Lotlamoreng.
Molale’s campaign manager, Kgang Kgang said: “The people have made their choice. They have spoken. We won in the past and they won this time.
That is politics.” Kgang said it was clear the Barolong preferred their kgosi to be a legislator.
The BCP spokesperson, Dithapelo Keorapetse, said unlike their competitors, they lacked resources to campaign meaningfully in the constituency.
Keorapetse also said as opposition parties they should cooperate as a matter of urgency.