Balopi Promises To Win Back G/North
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday June 10, 2019 14:03
Even though the function started more than two hours late, it was well prepared for. One would have mistaken the set up for a music festival hosting international artistes.
For instance, there was a huge stage with disco lights, multiple big screens, and large sound system to extra large marquees. However, the venue could not be filled to capacity despite large turnout.
The event organiser also hired crème de la crème of local music in form of Vee Mampeezy, Charma Gal and Han- C amongst others. They entertained the crowd into the night.
Some of the expenses were Balopi seven-seater vehicles for his constituency and brand visibility on vehicles and in billboards around his constituency.
When launching Balopi, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said the candidate served the party deligently for years.
“Balopi has been volunteering in the party for a very long time. The former president, Ian Khama invited Balopi to be the party secretary general and they worked well together for eight years,” said Masisi. “He was working hard traversing the country on behalf of the BDP using his own resources. He has never done any wrong in the party.”
Masisi said the BDP has benefitted more from Balopi than he has from the party. Balopi could have stood in Ramotswa, but democrats asked him to contest in Gaborone.
Masisi thanked Balopi’s family for allowing him to run for election on the BDP ticket.
“He was unopposed for primary elections and it is now time for you to vote for him. Vote for him and he will bring developments to the city. We are building interchanges to reduce traffic congestion in Gaborone. We will continue making developments looking at what we have. Balopi will not make any false promises,” he said.
For his part, Balopi thanked Masisi for his leadership and urged all to support the President and defend him (Masisi) from attacks.
Balopi promised to win back the constituency, which the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) won in 2014.
In his ‘mini’ manifesto distributed at the launch, Balopi has set six priorities for the next five years.
These are; Solar powered streetlights in open spaces spread across all six wards in the constituency; A clean and attractive surrounding; An environment that is suitable for vibrant recreation and leisure activities; safe and secure streets and households; Entrepreneurship and youth employment and Regular community engagements.
Balopi will battle for the constituency against incumbent Haskins Nkaigwa of the UDC, Sidney Pilane of Botswana Movement for Democracy and Thatayaone Molefhi of Alliance for Progressives.