Olesitse claims glory in Palapye

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Tuesday January 15, 2008 00:00

 

Having joined the BCP last August from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Molosiwa posed a serious threat to Olesitse who has represented the BCP in Palapye ever since its birth in 1998.

Although Olesitse, did not participate in the 1998 by-election, created by the ascendance of Festus Mogae to the presidency the same year, he tried his luck on a BCP ticket in the 1999 and 2004 general elections. A breakdown of the results from the six polling stations in Palapye reflects that the weekend primaries were taken seriously by the contestants and their campaign teams.

Perhaps, to show that he is a senior in Palapye, Olesitse thrashed Molosiwa in five of the six wards. At Lotsane ward Olesitse got 90 votes whilst Molosiwa got 64. Mmaphula ward Olesitse (91), Molosiwa (47), Serorome ward Olesitse got 80 votes whilst only nine went to Molosiwa. At Boikago ward, Olesitse got 72 votes whilst Molosiwa got 41, at Morupule ward Olesitse got 72 votes to 29 for Molosiwa and Molosiwa got 54 votes at Khurumela whilst Olesitse lost it with 20 votes.

Although Molosiwa was confident during the campaigns that he could surprise Olesitse, he duly accepted the results of the elections after a member of the BCP elections committee, Letsweletse Dingake at Kediretswe primary school, made the announcement.
'I fully accept the results,' announced Molosiwa to cheerful BCP supporters that had crammed the classroom where the results were announced. But, his campaign manager, Dineo Tumotumo accepted that although people have spoken, he believed that it was the letter that was circulated during the course of the campaigning that could have 'spoiled our chances'.

He claimed that Olesitse circulated a letter which explained that Molosiwa was still new in the party and as such he was not eligible to contest on the party's ticket.
'It was claimed that Molosiwa did not have at least three months as a party member which would qualify him to contest under the party ticket,' explained Tumotumo.
Tumotumo advised Molosiwa's supporters to concentrate on helping Olesitse to win the elections rather than concentrating on divisive issues.

He stressed that Olesitse was never Molosiwa's enemy and reminded BCP faithful 'the enemy of the people remains the BDP'. Addressing BCP members at Kediretswe Primary School, Nzwaligwa Nzwaligwa, the chairman of the MASEBO - Mmadinare, Selebi-Phikwe and Bobonong - region, encouraged BCP members to work together for the common good of the party.

'We would like to see BCP members working together closely and wrestle Palapye from the ruling party.
You can only do that when you work as a team,' he charged, as if there was already a problem in the party.

'I take it that the party has won and there is no individual who carries more credit than others'.

Speaking to Mmegi after the party's elections evaluation exercise on Sunday, Olesitse said his win signifies the confidence the people have in him.
'The evaluation meeting found that 720 people were turned away on Saturday because their membership cards were not validated for 2008,' revealed Olesitse.
BCP could have held the primaries last November but it was the resignation of Boyce Sebetela as Palapye MP, which changed things, forcing the party to postpone the process.