The voters have decided on their candidates

EDWARD BULE
Correspondent | Friday August 27, 2010 00:00

Nestled between Francistown and Tutume, this constituency, which remains one of the least developed in the country, is traversed by the Francistown-Orapa road and the Francistown-Maun road; two of the most economically critical roads to Botswana.

In the absence of any industry in the constituency, the majority of the able-bodied people from the disparate villages that constitute it migrate to the towns to seek employment.

Those who remain behind engage in subsistence farming, while others have to sell firewood, vegetables and a plethora of other mundane items to make ends meet.

It was not long after the departure of the bus before an animated political debate ensued among the passengers.

Interestingly, none of the debaters touched on the policies of the respective parties, dwelling on the ages of the candidates. The argument between the passengers was certainly not a contest between the young supporting Fidelis MacDonald Mmilili Molao and the old supporting Dr Habaudi Njiro Hobona.

The two candidates had their fair share of support and criticism from across the age divide. In as much as some felt Molao is too young and immature to shoulder the challenges of the constituency, there were those who felt that Dr Hobona is too old and devoid of energy to meet the demands of the constituency. Some felt Molao should be given the chance ahead of his competitor because he is, 'young, committed and able'.

Dr Hobona's supporters argued that with her wealth of experience due to her advanced age, she should be trusted to deliver.

Vehicles to and from Tonota North bearing BDP posters were a common sight. Upon entering Mathangwane, one was greeted by a huge billboard asking the voters to vote Molao.

A large group of people wearing BDP colours and sitting and conferring inside the premises of a shop probably plotting the downfall of both the BCP and MELS in the by-election was in evidence.

The length of road from Mathangwane to Sebina was punctuated with posters of the parliamentary candidates.As I get out of the bus, opposite the Botshelo shopping complex in Sebina, I notice a group of youth wearing Botswana Movement for Democracy t-shirts. They revealed that they had just returned from a house-to-house campaign in Sebina in aid of Dr Hobona, the BCP parliamentary candidate.

They disclose that their outreach will take them to Marobela the following day. This group has got only one mission: to make history by ridding Tonota North of the BDP after 44 years of uninterrupted incumbency in the constituency.

Zibiso Mokaloba, an unemployed young man who has recently renewed his voter-registration card says that although he is not a card-carrying member of any party, he is a passionate supporter of the BDP and President Ian Khama.

He reveals that he voted for the BDP in 2009 and will do the same in the by-election.

The fact that he does not know Fidelis Molao is immaterial. Baboni Gettares, a lady of 21 years, clad in a new BMD t-shirt, says that she did not vote in the last general election because she was in Gaborone.

Before she joined the BMD, she was a member of the BCP. She has no hard feelings towards her old party, the BCP, and will vote its candidate, Dr Hobona.

A woman who said she was born in 1931 declined to reveal her name and said that she is a member of the Botswana Peoples' Party but insisted that her voting habits would remain a guarded secret.

Fifty-year old Taboka Bathoeng, a vender who says she comes from a BDP family credits the party for the political stability in Botswana and will show her approval of it by voting Molao on September 4. She does not trust the opposition. Tebogo Zilawa, a visitor from neighbouring Nshakazhogwe says that she has no major problems with the BDP but will endorse Dr Hobona on account of the candidate's gender.

Thirty-seven years-old unemployed Zilawa says she sometimes harvests thatching grass to sell for a living.

Twenty-one year old Bushe Motsamai voted the BDP in 2009. He is now a member of the BMD after realising that the BDP is not interested in providing an opportunity for him and the other youth to achieve further education. His preferred candidate is Dr Hobona.

A woman, who preferred anonymity but says she was born in 1946 says she voted the BPP councillor in 2009. Because the BPP had no parliamentary candidate then, she did not vote at that level. She has no interest in the opposition cooperation project and will not partake in the forthcoming by-election.

Rodney Buka, unemployed, likes the BDP because of its welfare programmes and youth grants. He feels that Molao is the right person as he is likely to assist the youth to access some of the programmes.

Twenty-six year old Angel says she has long made up her mind and she is waiting for election day to cast her vote for Molao. She says she identifies with the policies of the BDP.

Macha will reward the BDP for having developed this country by giving Molao his vote on election day. He was born 65 years ago.

Mudongo Boitshwarelo, aged 70 years is a founder member of the BPP. He acknowledges that the BDP has developed Botswana adding though that he embraces opposition cooperation.

Daniel Sebele, born 56 years ago, says he is a member of the Botswana National Front who nevertheless intends to vote the BDP in the by-election just like he did in the general election in 2009.

It is time to proceed to Marobela and my first host is 37 year-old Galani. Although he is a BDP member, he is toying with the idea of voting the opposition.

He accuses the BDP of having failed to create jobs for the unemployed. Edzani Goitsemang,37, says her family party is the BDP. She however is undecided about whom to vote this time around although she voted the BDP, without any hesitation, in 2009.

She does not trust Molao with her vote because, due to his age, he might defect to the BMD. She might vote the BCP candidate, she says.

Taboka, wearing a brand new BMD t-shirt, says that she is a BDP member. She will be eternally grateful to the BDP for sponsoring her university education. The fact that she has not found a job yet does not matter to the 22 year-old university graduate.

A civil servant, who preferred to conceal her identity and political inclinations, says that she voted in 2009 and will cast her vote in the by-election.  Two woman, one born in 1949 and the other born 40 years ago, afraid to reveal their identities, will vote the BDP and the BCP respectively. They add that they have made their decision and they see no use in attending rallies.Bernard Masunga, who is 72 years now, having settled in Marobela in 1958 from Masunga, says he has been always a member of the BDP but he and his wife have changed their minds in favor of the BCP.

Babo Shimane, 55 years old was a member of the BDP until recently when her membership card, which had not yet been issued to her, was mysteriously found at a crime scene. The explanations given to her by the BDP activists handling membership cards did not make sense to her so she has left the party for the BCP. Her brother, who is a member of the BCP, had a hand in her defection to the BCP. She, however, participated in the BDP primary elections 'to help Ali Maano cross the river'.

Twenty-one year old Lekgowa says although she voted the BDP in 2009, she is not sure if she wants to replicate that action in the by-election. She does not give reasons for her change of heart.

My first respondent at Mathangwane is a 26 year-old woman who prefers anonymity. She voted the BCP in 2009 and will do the same in the bye-election. She likes the BCP policies and is disappointed with the BDP for lack of developments in Tonota North. She says Molao cannot talk of developing the youth when he did nothing for them when he was with the Botswana National Youth Council.Godfrey Nkosi voted the BDP in 2004. By 2009, 30 year-old Nkosi had given up on the party and voted for the BCP. According to him, the empowerment programmes the BDP talks about are accessible only to the rich and not the lower class.

Twenty year-old Oduetse Joseph did not vote in 2009 but will vote in the by-election. He had always been a member of the BDP. He is attracted to the party by the way it conducts the affairs of the country. His further attraction to the party with respect to the by-election is Molao's youthfulness. Jane Mateisi was born in 1976. A great admirer of Ian Khama, Mateisi says that she is impressed by the achievements made by the BDP especially on the economic front. If Dr Hobona was as young as Molao, she would vote her on account of gender, she says.

Jane Mateisi, a great admirer of Khama loves the BDP for the achievements the government has made over the years especially on the economic front. Fifty-year old Musa Hulela, a BCP member will vote Dr Hobona who he believes may be a better representative.

Bawumbe Nkhutelang, is appalled by lack of development in the constituency. He does not believe Molao when he says he can make a difference to the lives of the youth when he did nothing for them when he was the Executive Director of the BNYC. He accuses the BDP of exploiting the ignorance of the people especially the uneducated.

Nkhutelang says that Dr Hobona, a medical practitioner, has got a special skill which would benefit parliament and the country at large. He adds that Tonota North owes the nation that special skill. Kelebeletse Tshekonyana, born in 1956, says she has no interest in the policies espoused by the opposition. She grew up in the BDP.

Polite Lekgowa, born in 1983 and a BDP member, will not be able to vote because her Omang has expired.Kenewang Lekgowa, born 51 years ago, is a member of the BDP. Like her daughter, she has a difficulty.

She had lost her voter registration card and cannot renew it, because with her Omang at the cattle post, she is not allowed to use a copy of her Omang to identify herself to the Independent Electoral Commission officials.

Lekgowa reveals that her husband, who was not home when Mmegi visited, is a BCP member and the evidence is a poster of Dr Hobona mounted on a truck in the yard.

The people of Tonota North, it would appear, have decided on their cadidates. Whoever they delegate to parliament on September 4, has got his or her job cut out for him or her.

Economic disparities within this constituency are so wide with some people, especially in the most remote areas, living in abject poverty without even the benefits of clean water.

Some of the villages here do not have the benefit of a school within reasonable walking distance resulting in many children not going to school. The constituency has got several primary schools, junior secondary schools and clinics but not a single senior secondary school or hospital.

There is a dire shortage of drugs in the existing clinics. Most of the internal roads are so bad they become impassable during the rainy seasons.