Ntirang coordinates Selebi-Phikwe west registration

Onalenna Kelebeile | Wednesday April 26, 2017 15:29

This is in line with the party’s resolution to start early preparations in constituencies that are held by the opposition. Ntirang started working in the constituency more than a week ago. He took a break last Wednesday, but is expected back towards the end of the registration exercise.

He told Mmegi that the registration exercise has been very positive as they managed to have all structures in place, including cell committees who are mandated with the registration of party membership.

He said he was happy that he and the party managed to put in place structures in two wards that had been affected. He observed that there was a bit of relaxation by party members since after the general elections.

He also said the relocation of BCL employees after the BCL Mine closure also affected the party structures, the thing that they managed to address.

However, Ntirang was not in a position to establish how many members they managed to register because the exercise has just started, but was happy that they were successful in reviving structures and commencing the registration exercise.

The branch chairperson, Elizabeth Kadibadiba said reviving structures started from the cells, wards and the branch. She said early preparations were necessary because there was a lot of disgruntlement after Bulela Ditswe that resulted in some members being inactive.

She noted that this could accord losers time to heal and accept that politics is not personal but teamwork. She said campaigns have not started, and would only start upon completion of the registration exercise.

The party had five candidates in the Parliamentary primary elections, but Kadibadiba said the party has put before branches to consider compromise to reduce the high number of candidates as it somehow weakens the strength of constituencies.

She noted that they have been avoiding calling for interest for people to run for positions during the ongoing exercise until registration endd.

Evaluation of the registration exercise is expected in June. She sad she was happy that the registration exercise has accorded them an opportunity to render the party structures up-to-date.

“We, however, have a challenge with two wards, Thakadiawa and Leseding wards that are under BCP. We had hoped to win them, but the Mine closure is likely to deal a major blow on our efforts.

We just wish that the Mine could reopen. These are the wards where the opposition scored the highest numbers,” she said.

The two wards cover BCL location where a majority of Mine employees stay. She said with the reopening of the Mine, prospects of winning the two wards would be high.

She said though they discovered after the last general elections that there were cases of voter trafficking in Kopano ward, she still does not know how they lost the constituency to the Botswana Congress Party in the last general elections.