Grudge match in Serowe North East

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

 

It will be a grudge match after the first two rounds ended in a 1-1 draw with Seretse delivering the knock-out punch by winning the crucial rematch. Autlwetse thought he had finished Seretse by flooring him in the first round but tables turned when the BDP ordered a rematch in the newly created constituency. With the backing of the other contestants, namely Iphemele Kgokgothwane, Prince Kgwaneng and Simon Kerebotswe; Seretse beat Autlwetse and was subsequently appointed to the cabinet. 

Autlwetse protested the results and when the party failed to give him what he wanted, he approached the High Court but got no relief. Hence his group must be itching for revenge with the hope of turning tables to prove that Seretse's win was a fluke. They have therefore mounted the mother of all battles, but they definitely know that the minister is a hard nut to crack.

Recently, the Autlwetse camp cried foul that they have been excluded from the branch committee and the Sub-Land Board, which are dominated by Seretse's supporters. This means that the minister is controlling critical institutions of influence in the constituency. When Seretse beat Autlwetse in 2004, there was talk that the minister bought a tractor for residents of Tshimoyapula in 2003 so that they could vote for him. However, it is said the tractor disappeared a long time ago. 'Look, this tractor was not registered in the name of any of the constituents or at least any of the village community projects,' argued one of the constituents last week.

They have also dismissed a recently launched project to grow sunflower in the Paje/Mabelaapodi area for the production of bio-oil as a non-starter. They say the project would not help them or whoever has started it.

The other contention is that after Autlwetse lost, he was not given a party position although he was available for the challenge. They feel this was a ploy to sideline him from the political platform so that come the primaries, he would be insignificant.

Therefore, they are hoping to enjoy 'sympathetic' votes during the primaries on August 30 because their candidate has been subjected to untold torture by some party colleagues. Since Bulela Ditswe (primary elections) regulations do not permit open campaigns, those who hold elected positions like party office bearers at different levels and councillors and MPs use other platforms to increase their visibility.

After he was possibly disappointed with the system, retired Brigadier Kgokgothwane has jumped on the Autlwetse bandwagon and scaled won his ambition. He is now a council candidate. The other former parliamentary candidates, Kgwaneng and Kerebotswe are still backing Seretse.

As a cabinet minister, Seretse enjoys visibility across the country as captured by the electronic and print media. His ministerial duties take him to his constituency where his opponents cannot avoid facing him. He seems to have maximised his term to the extent that he is known even by children in the constituency.

As President Ian Khama's cousin and a former soldier under the command of Vice-President Mompati Merafhe, Seretse is in the good books of the two highest offices in the land.

He does not only enjoy support from the constituency.
He is liked in the rest of the country because he is seen as one of the ministers who listens and attends to problems of the people with an open mind. He has not performed badly as an MP and minister.

He goes into the August 30 BDP primaries with the backing of six of the 10 councillors in the constituency. He has benefited immensely from the 'joint venture' with Kgwaneng who has given him three councillors. Although he is often taken away by official business, Seretse has foot soldiers who continue to do a good job for him on the ground.

He does not believe in remote-control type of leadership because he is a hands-on man.
Both Seretse and Autlwetse are equal to the task and at the end of the day, one of them will walk away with the ticket. The battle will not be easy.