Parties to battle it out in Boseja/Flowertown council race
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday November 22, 2019 14:35
This came after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) realised that it had omitted one candidate’s name during the general election held on October 23, 2019. The IEC had omitted the Alliance for Progressives (AP) candidate on the ballot papers.
The four parties that will battle it out are Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) which will be represented by Tumelo Koolekanye who is seeking office for the second term, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Khumo Ramagapu, Botswana Patriotic Front’s (BPF) Paul Mosimanegape and Alliance for Progressives’ (AP) Rooseglt Kgosi.
“My party is doing all it can to win the ward. Mahalapye is our stronghold and there are some developments that Mahalapye sub council has done that include four blocks of classrooms in Flowertown primary school.
Some students are taught under trees due to classroom shortage, old Mahalapye hospital was converted into clinic after we pleaded with the Ministry of Health and Wellness paved some internal roads. Of course there are some challenges in the area that include water shortage at Phase II and Kanamo area. These two areas are new,” Koolekanye said.
What worries the BDP candidate is the issue of unemployment and indiscipline amongst some of the youth in the area. Koolekanye wants to retain the area in order to advocate for unfinished projects.
On the other hand, Ramagapu of UDC complains that the ward has a river that does not have a bridge and residents of Boseja/Flowertown are forced to drive more than seven kilometres to access the A1 road or another side of Mahalapye.
“People have been complaining about these issues for a long time. Only four internal roads are paved but more of them have not been paved. There are no streetlights and that contribute to high crime. Again, we cannot have a situation where our youth and old ones are competing to be employed by Ipelegeng,” Ramagapu said.
AP candidate Kgosi said his worry is that clinics are not enough since Mahalapye hospital is a referral one.
“Some children in this area are involved in the drugs and if I am elected as a councillor, I will ask council to conduct a research on what could be the problem. Leaders should join hands to find ways of addressing the problem,” Kgosi said.
BPF candidate Mosimanegape said he is also worried about shortage of health facilities in the area as well as unemployment