Politics abandon Phikwe

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Friday November 5, 2010 00:00

Perhaps it is because some who would be making such noise are now busy delivering and implementing the promises they were making during their campaigns while others are still disgruntled and bitter that they were disaccorded the opportunity to assume political office.   Maybe they are just refreshing and accumulating energy for the next race.

But the fact remains that there is not much of the political activity that used to constitute the better part of each day.  Victory celebrations are gone.  Post-moterms to establish why a certain party did not win are something of the past, let alone accusations and counter-accusations that somebody de-campaigned the other.  Only rarely does one catch a glimpse of people clad in party regalia to a political rally or a party meeting, with the exception of the colours of the newly formed Botswana Movement for Democracy, which are an indication that the party is joining the race in the mining town.  They are often seen around town in their membership drive strategies and even selling party merchandise.  Holding fond memories of the last elections are the now worn-out t-shirts bearing disfigured faces of the candidates.

Posters have been heavily eroded by the weather to the extent that they are non-existent.    As many are looking forward to another hectic period of the political race, one would not stop wondering what the political landscape will characterise Selebi-Phikwe politics in the absence of the political loose-cannon, Nzwaligwa Nzwaligwa, under the trees and also the veteran politician, Gilson Saleshando.  Nzwaligwa is now a public servant and may not stand in the coming elections, while Saleshando has indicated that this is his last term in office.

Coming elections may also be without the likes of Benjamin Bagayi who was known for his well-researched motions.  While each party is currently sweeping its house clean and sharpening its strategies for the coming election, voters, on the other hand, are watching to see if the promises that were made during campaigns are delivered. 

The fact that the College of Applied Arts and Technology has been called off, the anticipated Selebi-Phikwe Sports Complex deferred together with the expansion of the bus rank, means that one politician holding office is continuing to lose some political points while others have scored big on completed projects like sewerage reticulations and storm water drainage.

 This is the right time for the now under pressure Botswana Democratic Party to work hard and perform much better in the coming elections.  The ruling party lost Selebi-Phikwe West Constituency to the opposition with a margin of over 600 votes despite the fact that it had comfortably won the constituency in the previous bout. 

The opposition also managed to equalise council seats with the ruling party for the first time in 10 years.  Though it managed to increase its winning margins from 151 in 2004 to over 500 last year in the Selebi-Phikwe East constituency, the ruling party suffered serious setbacks as it lost four wards to the Botswana Congress Party rekindling fears that if the same trend continues the opposition may snatch the constituency as it happened in Selebi-Phikwe West constituency.

Previously, Selebi-Phikwe East had only two opposition seats in the council, but the number increased to four after the BCP won Botshabelo North and Botshabelo East wards that used to be the ruling party strongholds.  The ruling party has also been struggling, though fruitlessly to win back Botshabelo West that it lost to BCP in 2004.  To add salt to injury, the BCP increased its winning margins from 51 to 165.  BCP has also managed to retain Botswana Central Ward that it snatched from the BDP in 2004 and increased its winning margins from 103 to 305.  Out of seven wards in Selebi-Phikwe East, the ruling party only won three.  As if losing Selebi-Phikwe West to BCP was not enough, the ruling party also lost Hospital Ward to the opposition giant to hand all three wards over to the opposition.  The ruling party had won Hospital Ward with a margin of 116 in 2004, but last year the BCP's winning margin shot to 358. In Thakadiawa Ward, the opposition increased its winning margin from 151 in 2004 to 440 in 2009.

On the other hand, the Botswana National Front was dismally defeated in all the two Selebi-Phikwe constituencies failing to win even a single council seat.  In all the wards and constituencies, BNF garnered the least votes. 

Principal Elections Officer in Selebi Phikwe, Molatlhegi Baloi, has indicated that currently there has not been much happening on the side of politicians who visit his office.  He said their annual objective and critical activity is to identify areas in the electoral processes to be reviewed in consultation with stakeholders. 

It is ongoing until March 2011.  The IEC office will also conduct a needs analysis of services and facilities, for instance, availability of water, benches and shades at polling stations.  The office's programme also includes the provision of customer-focused information and services in consultation with stakeholders and this includes civic and voter education, and acquisition of materials used for voter education.