The battle for red Serowe

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Friday August 22, 2008 00:00

 

The voices of the people presented the constituents as people thirsty to exercise their democratic right in choosing a politician who will represent their interests better as BDP faithful. Constituents were able to give Mmegi chapter and verse of issues on the ground when we visited recently.

Communications, Science and Technology Minister, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi also the incumbent MP, faces a strong challenge from her traditional nemesis and former cabinet minister, Tebelelo Seretse and little known Polokego Letsholo.

But for Venson-Moitoi and Seretse, they are like chalk and cheese. Their past political differences have kept the constituency under the spotlight.

Seretse is expected to give Venson-Moitoi a hard run for her money as her long absence from Parliament has given her a good chance to sell herself to the constituents and amend whatever wrong she could have committed that cost her the constituency previously.

Although the real battle is between the incumbent and Seretse, Letsholo cannot simply be wished away merely because little is known about him as the political game is often full of surprises. But, to expect a miracle at the end of a political race than earning it on time, can prove to be a tough game for Letsholo.

Serowe South constituents can best be described as conservative. But since they are human beings and influenced by the life's dynamics they can be delicate and overly sensitive to the changes in their political environment. For starters, this is one constituency that has been pro-BDP since independence. Winning the BDP ticket here is like winning the elections as there is no viable opposition to threaten the BDP, hence the race for the party ticket is always characterised by nasty fights.

Pitting Venson-Moitoi and Seretse in a political fight elicits a lot of excitement as the two are political giants in their own right. Whenever they meet, sparks fly as they put their very best into the act. Their meeting often ignites fond memories which were characterised by open fights and political flack.

Whenever the two politicians lock horns, the fly in the ointment is the bitter rivalry that often turns nasty to the level that sometimes there is a bitter exchange between their supporters. Cartoonists have drawn pictures denoting this rivalry, photographers have taken images about it and much has been written about it but the situation goes on unabated.

I remember in Palapye at the launch of Moiseraele Master Goya as the BDP Palapye MP candidate early this year, by the President Ian Khama when he remarked that competition between Seretse and Venson-Moitoi will never end as Seretse had just added another name to her surname to read Mazila-Seretse so that she could match Venson-Moitoi.

He was right as the two took turns dancing on the podium showing their dancing skills. But deep beyond what they were doing was buried the spirit of competition for attention that dominate their decisions.

Whenever Khama addressed a meeting attended by the duo, Khama will talk about their rivalry in the most sarcastic manner that he can manage in a given day. The whys and wherefores in the bitter rivalry is the urge to control the Serowe South constituency.

If it was not for the stringent 'Bulela Ditswe' regulations, certainly there would be a lot of action in the campaigns for the area as supporters across the lobby groups would do their thing as usual and go for the jugular.

This year's meeting is no different from the previous ones. The only difference is that the party's Bulela Ditswe regulations this time around prohibit open battles; use of campaign material like posters, T-shirts, political rallies where contestants openly attack each other at this stage.

Serowe South constituency has issues peculiar to it. For instance, tribalism is one of the issues that continue to dominate politics in this area. There seem to be an issue between Bakalaka and Bangwato tribes with each group battling to dominate the political stage and in the process sowing seeds of discord among the party faithful. There are also some Basarwa people who seem to be the quietest of the tribes in the constituency.

The whole area is divided into 10 political wards and Bakalaka have predominantly settled at Moiyabana, Mokgware, Mokwena and Sunnyside wards. As to why tribalism has become a weapon in a political game, remains a wonder. It doesn't seem that tribalism will add any value to the campaigns unless those practice it know its worth to their campaigns. Some people that Mmegi talked to feared that if not handled carefully, tribalism has the potential to reap the area apart. Mongwato or Mokalaka politicians look at the constituents as a wider pool of people who have the potential to help them attain the party ticket.

Factionalism associated with the traditional Kedikilwe-Kwelagobe and Nkate-Merafhe is rife. The supporters of Venson-Moitoi are traceable to the former faction whilst Seretse's are associated with the latter. The official position though is that factions have been disbanded. But, for the purpose of the impending primaries, factions have regrouped.

To those in the know, there is no cohesion between the two factions, one faction does whatever it deems appropriate for it and leave the other group to do its own thing. The branch committee is pro-Seretse. After some branch committee members had resigned from the branch committee to run for the primaries, those remaining in office refused to dissolve the old committee to elect a new one frustrating those who wished to see new faces in office.

But for the ward committees, Venson-Moitoi is in control which gives her team solace that they are in control of one of the party lower structures which helps in understanding the dynamics in the whole area.

Venson-Moitoi enjoys the advantage of being the incumbent and most importantly, a cabinet minister. By virtue of this advantage, she has travelled widely in her constituency officially which in most cases is not an easy feat for other politicians who have to employ their resources to enable them to reach out as widely as possible.

Since her appoint to cabinet, she has used any available opportunity to feel the pulse of her constituents on one hand and on the other serving the entire nation in accordance with the dictates of her ministry. Her supporters are steadfast that she is still sellable and as popular as in 2004 when she ousted Seretse from the area. It was a battle hard-fought that left a good number of people bruised.

It seems Mmabesi Development Trust which has constructed a number of decent houses in the 10 wards has elevated her to greater heights and earned her the 'BHC (Botswana Housing Corporation)' name for housing the constituents, majority of which live far below the poverty datum line (PDL). Her name has now become synonymous with the destitute and in particular Basarwa in Thabala, Sehunou, Mabuo and other areas.

Her campaign to house the underprivileged will today be boosted by the handing over of some units at Motshegaletau, by President Ian Khama especially that it has not been easy for her to penetrate the areas of Sehunou and Mabuo which are predominantly Basarwa settlements with a councillor in the Seretse camp.
Out of the 10 wards, Venson-Moitoi has about six councillors on her side whilst Seretse has about four.

Seretse comes into the race with four sitting civic leaders to her side since 2004 primaries and general election. But the Seretse camp will tell you the reverse picture is the truth and that is, Seretse has six councillors whilst the incumbent MP has only four.
The general belief is that Seretse is listened to by the constituents and this they say might pay dividends come August 30. 'Theetso e teng tota! She is being listened to!' exclaimed Seretse's youthful supporter. They only wish that their hope could be translated into reality. Their candidate they say has kept her nose to the grindstone and would not simply give away the fight.

Seretse's jewel in the crown is that despite her stature, she still finds time for the hoi polloi. For the attention that she has given to attending funerals in the constituency and often contributing small monies, it has earned her a new nickname: The funeral undertaker.

Her nemesis know very well that Seretse has been paying attention to the bereaved in her area and being with them at the hour of need. This reportedly continues to earn her a good reputation of the one who cares. Her competitors view this move as a strategy to buy elections and nothing else. But, what do you do when someone you have known and worked with passes away, do you just fold your arms without help where assistance is due? She buys food and literally contributes when family people call for such contributions. She helps even people who are not her supporters and this has the potential of swinging support to her side.

There might be people who are talking about this assistance in the negative, but the ordinary people are wondering where Seretse has been despite that they know her as their former MP. '...Ga a bifele o pe, o reka dijo ka kutlo botlhoko,' said one woman about her generosity.

Seretse has of recent been spotted joining some poor families sharing her valuable time with them at their homes unexpectedly. She sits with the elderly people and stretches her legs traditionally as she shares jokes with them and on the other hand soliciting for support. 'O kgona go iphara fa gare ga basadibagolo a a ja dikgang le bone,' emphasises another woman about the Seretse's new approach.

As it stands, Seretse's supporters claim that their candidate has sealed the whole of Serowe and the outside wards, leaving no space for her competition to manouvre.

As the BDP Women's Wing chairperson, this has helped Seretse to command some respect among the women folks who are likely to help her in her comeback bid. Besides getting an official platform through the Women's Wing to help her sell herself, she has become so popular among women in the party that if that could translate into popular support then it will not come as a surprise if she could be crowned the winner.
She is also a member of the BDP central committee responsible for Shoshong and Mahalapye known as SHOMA.

Little is known about Letsholo because he has failed the test of strength on the ground as it was difficult to raise his supporters. This makes his candidature very difficult to determine how he would perform. Ask anyone in Serowe South about the candidates and his name will always be left out.

It was even difficult for those who have heard about his candidature to simply say out his first name. But for the two women in the race, you will be given the names that we don't need for printing or you will simply be given the direction to their places.