BNF scoffs at BCP olive branch

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Friday February 22, 2008 00:00

A trade off for the two parties for the Palapye and Kgalagadi North constituencies was previously proposed; the BNF leaving BCP to contest Palapye and the BCP reciprocating at Kgalagadi North. 

Kgalagadi North was represented by the BNF before the MP, Obakeng Moumakwa resigned last year. In Palapye, a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) stronghold, the BCP wields more support than the BNF.

BNF publicity chief, Moeti Mohwasa says they are going to field 'a consensus candidate', Sentsho Malatsi. 

Although it seemed to have maintained a low profile, the BNF has been campaigning in Palapye, according to Mohaswa.

Mohwasa says the BCP was not sincere about their offer to assist the BNF. He says the BCP is not contesting Kgalagadi North because the party does not have significant support. 

In the 2004 general election, BCP did not field a parliamentary candidate in Kgalagadi North.

Their affiliates, the New Democratic Front (NDF), fielded a candidate while the BCP contested the council wards. But this time even NDF is not going to stand following a BCP resolution.

Mohwasa said if the BCP is honest, it should not be fielding a candidate in the forthcoming Marulamantsi council by-election in Gaborone because it is a BNF stronghold. 

He said the BCP, through NDF, would not have contested the Naledi Central by-election.  The BNF official said they are going to contest all 57 seats next year. BCP Publicity Secretary, Dumelang Saleshando said they are not going to contest Kgalagadi North. He said they have appealed to their supporters to vote for the BNF.

Saleshando said they do not have the resources to stand in Kgalagadi North. The two parliamentary and three council by-elections would stretch their limited resources.

The BCP spokesman said their presence in Kgalagadi North is not significant enough to make an impact during the by-elections. He said they needed huge resources to campaign vigorously in Kgalagadi North. 

It is not because they don't stand a chance that they are not contesting, Saleshando argues. 'You do not contest elections only because you want to win. At times you only want to build a base. This is why you find that opposition parties used to challenge the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in their stronghold of Serowe,' he said.

He said the BNF is contesting Palapye even though they do not have a good chance.