BMD kicks off Boswelatlou by-election battle

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday August 26, 2015 15:26

 

Secretary General, Gilbert Mangole said BMD will be contesting the ward under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) banner.

Yesterday Mangole said the party had already met over the ward.

“Primary elections will be held depending on the number of people who respond after we issue the writ which will be out next week. The primary elections won’t take long because the party has to start its campaigns on time,” he said.

Mangole said the BMD has started preparations and logistics on how to campaign for the ward.  The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has already declared that it will support the UDC’s campaign to win the ward.

BCP spokesperson Dithapelo Keorapetse said the decision was taken after consultation with party structures in Lobatse, and also in view of the ‘UDC friendly letter’ on cooperation on Goodhope/Mabule by-election.

“The UDC letter had sought cooperation in the Goodhope/Mabule by-election through a letter which unfortunately came in very late. We place on record that the BCP will not stand in Boswelatlou but will assist in the best way we can to make sure UDC retains the seat.

“This cooperation in Boswelatlou is a culmination of both parties’ attempts to forge relations that will usher in an amicable working relationship between the BCP and the UDC,” Keorapetse said. While Mangole said the BMD was yet to receive any correspondence from the BCP, he welcomed the move by the party. “We do not have any agreement with BCP but we welcome their efforts since we are preparing for cooperation talks with them. Opposition parties need each other,” he said.  UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa also stressed that they do not have any agreement with BCP but he said at this juncture, he was constrained to discuss the matter further. ved to. His contacts were the only ones we had, that is why we called him. We even tried to call their office line but could not reach anyone.”

 

He said BOSETU had wished to have BCP at the conference just like other parties but failed to reach them because of that particular problem.