UB academic joins race to replace Moyo
Chakalisa Dube | Friday May 17, 2019 12:58
Until recently, Letsholathebe was the BDP Francistown region secretary. Many had thought that Sean Sebele who lost the initial primaries against the expelled Samson Guma Moyo would be chosen through compromise to represent the ruling party at the General Elections.
However, some BDP members in area reportedly shunned the compromise. Moyo who is the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) won the BDP primaries late last year but was recently expelled from the party for ‘indiscipline’.
The development inevitably left the party without a parliamentary candidate for the 2019 general elections, thus warranting fresh primaries.
Yesterday, Letsholathebe said he was not in a position to discuss his reported BDP candidacy.
“I have served in several structures within the party. I understand the constitution of the BDP very well. The constitution does not allow members to declare candidacy for the primaries before they (candidates) are sanctioned to do so by the party,” he said.
However, several sources have intimated that Letsholathebe has declared his desire to contest the election to Tati East constituents. Meanwhile Sebele, who replaced Letsholathebe as the BDP Francistown region secretary, has openly confirmed that he will contest the BDP primaries in an interview with Mmegi.
Both Letsholathebe and Sebele are reportedly aligned to President Mokgweetsi Masisi. They are said to have campaigned for Masisi leading to the Kang congress where the latter was to face Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi for the presidency of the BDP. Venson-Moitoi eventually pulled out of the race citing irregularities.
Late last year, in the initial primaries Moyo won 2, 730 votes against Sebele’s 1, 929. Should he triumph in his bid to secure candidacy for the Tati East constituency, Letsholathebe would join a swelling rank of other academics in politics, amongst them Taolo Lucas of the Umbrella for Democratic Change and Dr Kaelo Molefhe of the Alliance for Progressives. They will contest for parliamentary positions in the next general elections.
Yesterday, BDP Francistown region chairperson Baemedi Medupi said that the party would soon invite those interested in contesting the Tati East primaries to submit applications. The party would speed up the process of holding the primaries as the date for the general elections is coming close.
“We are also working on coming up with strong counselling strategies for contestants prior and post the primaries. We are nearing the general elections hence we do not want a situation where those who would have lost find it hard to accept defeat and in the process sabotage the winner. We want to go to the elections as a united force,” he said.