BDP loses Councillor Tshekiso to BMD

GALE NGAKANE
Correspondent | Wednesday June 16, 2010 00:00

Tshekiso, who has vowed to unseat the incumbent Member of Parliament, Edwin Batshu confirmed to Mmegi yesterday that he has resigned from the BDP and will be in the orange colours of BMD when the party touches base  in Francistown on June 26, for their launch in the north.

Tshekiso said he was instrumental in Batshu capturing the constituency, especially from the Botswana Congress Party's Batisani Maswibilili, who narrowly lost the election. In the 2009 general elections, Batshu garnered 6,094 votes to Maswibilili's 4,618.

'I thought it would be better that I speak for Batswana instead of being interested in lining my pockets only. I am not after short term opportunities,' he said by phone from Maitengwe.

Though, he did not want to reveal much, he claimed there are some councillors still 'hiding behind their fingers' and waiting for the right moment to migrate to the BMD.

'It is just a matter of time,' said Tshekiso.

Meanwhile, Batshu could not confirm the resignation of Tshekiso when contacted.

He said he has not yet received a letter from Tshekiso, and could neither deny nor confirm Tshekiso's resignation from the BDP.

'If indeed he has resigned, there is nothing I can say except to wish him luck wherever he is going. What I can tell him as well as people like Ntangisi Bakwali is that when they are grown up they will come back.

'We have got no time for mantlwane here at the BDP. But I realise they are still youngsters,' he said.

Asked to confirm a BDP meeting that was held in the constituency at the weekend, Batshu said the meeting was held to report back to the general membership about what transpired at the National Council.

Hardly a fortnight ago another former BDP activist in the constituency, who has decamped to the BMD said they were preparing a mother of all wars on Nkange constituency, which he said was theirs for the taking come 2014.

Bakwali, a BMD member currently based in Francistown said he has been holding campaigns in the constituency and he has been welcomed by residents of villages, that make up Nkange.

The constituency has 10 wards, six of which are held by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), while four are under the Botswana Congress Party (BCP).

Bakwali who claims he, together with some of the BDP councillors, was instrumental in the campaign that catapulted Batshu to be the area's MP, says most, if not all the councillors would be decamping to the BMD.

In Francistown, the mayor, Shadrack Nyeku defected to the BMD with a majority of his councillors. The MP for Francistown South, Wynter Mmolotsi also joined the BMD after he was expelled from the BDP.

Reports are that Tshelang Masisi, the MP for Francistown West is also waiting for the right moment to cross over to the BMD.