BDP Ngami throws weight behind Nkate
Boniface Keakabetse | Thursday May 11, 2017 15:32
The ruling party goes for a hotly contested elective congress in July.
Nkate is a former legislator for Ngami and the party’s former secretary-general. He is presently not publicly aligned to the Nonofo Molefhi or Mokgweetsi Masisi camps, the two supremos vying for the party’s chairmanship.
Ngami region chairperson, Kabo Kurusa said the branch was fully behind the former legislator, adding that North West region also supported Nkate, who is the country’s former ambassador to Japan.
The BDP’s North West region has 70 delegates who are expected to vote during the BDP elective congress scheduled for July in Tonota.
“Yes I can confirm that I am behind Nkate. As the regional chairperson of Ngami where Nkate originates, I am happy and support him to contest for such a powerful position within the party,” Kurusa said.
Kurusa explained that Nkate also has good support in Gantsi, Kgalagadi South and North East. He further claimed that more than 50% of councillors in the Central District Council, who are eligible to vote at the congress, support Nkate.
“Nkate has a large support in the Francistown region, and we are also receiving interest from all the 14 regions of the BDP,” he said. Sources in the area said the North West was however divided between Masisi and Molefhi for the chairmanship.
Meanwhile, the Ngami branch will go for elections on June 3 in Kareng village in a poll that is expected to be fiercely contested.
Indications are that the elections will be fiercely contested along the interests of incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Ngami, Thato Kwerepe, and former area MP Nkate who is reportedly eyeing a rebound in the area.
Jostling for the control of the constituency between the two nemeses is already reported to have gained momentum.
Kurusa confirmed the date for the elections.