BOFEPUSU consents executives' general election candidacy

Chakalisa Dube | Friday April 5, 2019 13:03

The federation’s secretary general Tobokani Rari confirmed the development yesterday.

Last week, BOFEPUSU deputy secretary general Ketlhalefile Motshegwa confirmed in a statement that he would be contesting as a parliamentary candidate of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in Gaborone Bonnington South.

University Botswana (UB) senior lecturer, Kaelo Molefhe, will contest for a parliamentary seat at Gaborone Bonnington North under the Alliance for Progressives (AP) ticket at the 2019 general election. Molefhe, who is BOFEPUSU secretary for education, will face stiff competition from UDC president, Duma Boko.

“The two candidates have officially written to us indicating that they want to contest the elections. We have agreed that they should stand for elections,” Rari said, adding that it is within the rights of the duo to contest for the general elections.

Rari added that other members of the federation who want to contest the general elections are free to do so.

Rari added: “We will release a statement detailing our exact position later today”.  BOFEPUSU executive convened a meeting on Tuesday where the candidacies of Molefhe and Motshwegwa were the main issue under discussion. 

He added that the union has not taken a decision as to whether it will support its members who want to contest the general elections or not.

“The issue was not discussed at the meeting at all,” Rari highlighted.

Last week, BOFEPUSU released a statement saying that it has not deployed any of its cadres to contest the general elections.

That was immediately after Motshegwa confirmed that he would represent the UDC at the 2019 general elections where he will face, amongst others, the incumbent area MP, Ndaba Gaolathe.

There were insinuations that those who are contesting the elections are backed by BOFEPUSU.