The day UDC, BCP raided Phillip Matante East
Ryder Gabathuse | Wednesday April 20, 2016 15:18
For the first time ever since the Phillip Matante East ward was declared vacant, thousands of people thronged the UDC/BCP rally in large numbers. If the large turnout can translate into votes in the by-election, then the combined UDC/BCP poses greater risk for the ruling party.
UDC candidate, Uyapo Nyeku is facing Peter Nare of the BDP. The UDC rally that was held at the Block Five spaza shops freedom square had massive attendance, not just from ordinary people, but the opposition coalition leadership from all the member parties – the Botswana National Front, Botswana Movement for Democracy and Botswana Peoples Party – and their new partners, BCP.
Opposition councillors and their MPs attended the rally as if they wanted to show off the strength of the UDC/BCP in Parliament and various councils ahead of the weekend by-election.
The rally was literally coloured black, gold, orange and lime.
A marquee tent housing the top table was equally decorated in the four parties’ colours. It was an afternoon of opposition politics as all the main opposition parties were under one roof for the purpose of “teaching the BDP a lesson the ruling party will never forget.” Former deputy speaker of the national assembly, Pono Moatlhodi, called upon voters to take advantage of the warring BDP factions in Francistown South constituency. He cited the recent fistfight between Ford Moiteela and MP Ignatius Moswaane as an indication of a party that has no order.
“We have a candidate who is a sellable commodity. Let’s put all our efforts together and help him win the by-election for the sake of all the opposition parties,” said Moatlhodi to a loud cheer from the massive crowd. He told attendees to ignore the BDP, which is seemingly keen to produce replicas of Mike Tyson and George Foreman, who were boxers of repute during their heydays.
“May you please go to the mountains, caves, rivers and graveyards and call upon your gods to help us win this by-election,” said Moatlhodi amid shouts of “botate”. Another speaker, University of Botswana (UB) lecturer Elmon Tafa and BNF veteran condemned the BDP for its poor education, saying it was simply teaching people how to read and write instead of empowering graduates to employ themselves.
He said the difference between the UDC and the BDP is that the combined opposition advocates for education with production as it empowers graduates to create jobs for themselves instead of looking up to government all the time.
He said schools like Shashe River Secondary School, Swaneng Hill Secondary School and Mc Connell Secondary School in their early years emphasised on education with production. He said it was painful that a country classified as an upper middle-income economy continues to fail the young people as the majority of them are loitering the streets jobless.
“If the stubborn BDP government had listened to us and embraced education with production, some of the graduates would really create jobs or have something to do instead of relying on the unreliable BDP government.”
He told the rally that the BDP government was in office by default, as they should have lost power in 2014.
He noted that since the UDC and its BCP allies do not have any fundamental ideological differences, it was time the latter joined the coalition and helped in changing the government.
BCP veteran politician, Vain Mamela reiterated that the BCP and its UDC partners do not have notable differences as they subscribe to the philosophy of social democracy.
He said the parties are fighting for social justice, which includes equality and economic empowerment amongst others.
“For over 50 years now, the BDP has failed you and it will never provide you with anything. A good government should come up with programmes that are sustainable and create more jobs for the young people,” said Mamela.
BNF vice president and MP for Tlokweng, Same Bathobakae, pleaded with residents of Phillip Matante East to vote for Nyeku so that they can continue enjoying good representation.
“Desist from being bought by the BDP and then dumped after they have gained what they wanted from you,” she warned the rally.
Motlatsi Molapisi, president of the BPP encouraged Batswana to emancipate themselves from the government of the BDP.
He encouraged the masses to prepare themselves for the bigger picture of taking over the government.
“But, if the BDP rigs the 2019 general elections, we will have to prepare for that eventuality,” he said without elaborating.
UDC secretary general and Bonnington South MP Ndaba Gaolathe told the rally that the people’s worst enemy is themselves, “as we undermine ourselves.”
He said generally people don’t believe that they can do good things or their children can do good things.
He encouraged people to be patient and prepare properly to take over power in 2019.
“Prepare yourselves and use your strengths to take over power and you must start that journey now,” said the soft-spoken BMD president.