How political novice beat veterans to their game
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday January 26, 2018 18:26
The 38-year-old political novice slugged it out with much accomplished politicians in former Francistown South MP, Khumongwana Maoto and former city deputy mayor, Lamodimo Dikomang. Both politicians are old enough to be Lucas’ parents. While Lucas garnered 906 votes during the Saturday BDP primaries, Maoto and Dikomang only managed 496 and 306 votes respectively.
Although Maoto and Dikomang have protested the Bulela Ditswe results, citing unfair media campaigns by the winner, they had earlier found nothing objectionable when given an opportunity to do so by the returning officer.
Lucas came into the political scene only four years ago when he stood as an independent candidate for Ipopeng ward. He would later that year join the BDP in the Francistown South constituency. When he stood as an independent candidate, he was merely testing the waters, if he could be a future leader. He stood under mokoko wa ditlhabololo banner.
As to what strategy he employed to beat his more accomplished political veterans, Lucas is upbeat that masses saw him as the future of the BDP in the constituency because of his campaign message.
In a constituency with high youth unemployment, Lucas promised to advocate for job creation and providing for the poor in the constituency. In the BDP, it is common that party diehards employ fraudulent means commonly known as ntlodisa molatswana to amass numbers by registering opposition members to help them beat their BDP opponents.
Did the political novice Lucas apply ntlodisa molatswana to beat the two veterans in the race for the party ticket over the weekend?
“I can refer you to the constituency voters’ roll. As the branch secretary, I was the overseer of the registration process. Mine was to test God who had promised me that I was going to beat my more decorated and accomplished contestants,” was Lucas’s response.
Lucas and his supporters are in the process of registering a foundation in the Francistown South constituency and currently the documentation is with some attorneys to craft the constitution.
“The aim of the foundation is to address the welfare of the constituents. It’s common that people have not fenced their houses. Some houses are without doors whilst others do not have toilets,” he said.
Through a company called 100 Miles Limited, Lucas has promised young people that he would help them create jobs for themselves. He has even promised to house some people at his farm in Tonota which is commonly known as Camp Dubai after accommodating the much affluent Team Masisi in the last July BDP elective congress.
He has also derived mileage from giving hope to the hopeless people. In the course of providing to the needy people, he has provided tower lighting to the hawkers at both Block-1 and Block-7, something that has left him as the favourite of the trio.
The fact that he campaigned for unity in the constituency has elevated him. Amongst the first people to congratulate Lucas were VP Masisi, Minister Slumber Tsogwane, and MP Samson Moyo Guma.
What he deemed to be his challenges in the constituency metamorphosed into opportunities. When he realised that he did not have petrol to run his campaigns using a motor vehicle to traverse the length and breath of Francistown South, he chose to use a handy mode of transport - a bicycle. Lucas went into the campaigns short of funds but he never allowed the challenge to pull him down.
The bicycle instead accorded Lucas an opportunity to be closer to the people more than he ever expected. Instead of people looking down upon him, they instead identified with him more. He had a clear message of snatching the constituency from the opposition.
“I had to be very smart since I didn’t have money to cook for the campaign team. I met potential voters directly and solicited for their support. I didn’t badmouth anyone and even some party elders had encouraged me never to insult anybody.” Lucas was not inclined to any council candidate, indicating that all those who have won the council seat will certainly work with them as the parliamentary candidate in the 2019 general elections.
He claims to be ready to win the general elections, indicating that BDP diehards are ready especially after the recent split of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), which resulted in the formation of the Alliance for Progressives (AP).
“A lot of people are now joining the BDP from the opposition and this is partly a source of my strength. As a potential MP, I want to help people whilst they are alive rather than wait for them to die and use the burial insurance to bury them.”
Lucas, a former Mmegi freelance photographer has vowed never to disappoint his party no matter how hard the circumstances could be.
“In a few weeks time, I will open an office in the middle of the constituency which will run up to the 2019 general elections. It will accessed by people and help them out,” he promised.
To the primary elections losers, Maoto and Dikomang, he said they have run a race and now they ought to focus on the bigger picture of the party.
“They are my parents and as a young activist, I need their wisdom and the weekend primary elections results should not dampen their spirits. They should not give up as God has a plan for them,” he said indicating that God is in control and that he is certain of victory in 2019.
One of the party elders, Margaret Manyanda blessed Lucas with a 1963 party brochure as appreciation of the young politician’s victory.