Both candidates faced suspension – Dikoloti from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and Modubule from the Botswana National Front (BNF) – highlighting a pattern of contention within the party. Modubule's victory stemmed from strong support amongst BNF members, who believed he was treated unfairly. In Dikoloti’s case, he initially won the party's primary election, but the BDP later disqualified him, alleging cheating without considering his defence.
When Dikoloti sought legal recourse, he was suspended from the party, further deepening divisions amongst BDP members in the area, many of whom viewed the handling of the situation as unjust. Despite these challenges, he expressed gratitude to his supporters following his win. “I'm humbled by what has happened. I won because of the trust that people had for me, and I want to thank the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) for conducting fair and transparent elections,” Dikoloti stated.
Addressing voters in Lorwana, he acknowledged the love, support, and hard work of the community that propelled him forward. Following the announcement of the results, a celebratory motorcade filled with youth and elders paraded through Goodhope, Mmathethe, Digawana, and Lorwana. In the recent election held on October 30, 2024, Goodhope-Mmathethe recorded an impressive voter turnout, with 33,340 registered voters and 83% participation. Dikoloti emerged as one of the highest-voted candidates, garnering 12,294 votes from 27,822 ballots cast.
The BDP received 7,143 votes, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) obtained 6,513, the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) received 458, and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) secured 878 votes. Notably, the area recorded the highest number of spoilt votes at 535. After winning a parliamentary seat in the 2019 General Election, Dikoloti was appointed Minister of Agriculture. Following a Cabinet reshuffle, he moved to the Ministry of Health. However, tensions arose between Dikoloti and the outgoing president, with signs of their fallout emerging in early 2023.
The situation intensified during the party primary elections, Bulela Ditswe, fuelled by rumours that the party leadership preferred former Minister of Finance Peggy Serame over Dikoloti. This divide further fractured party unity. Recently, the former president publicly urged Dikoloti not to be swayed by certain youth associates, accusing him of being arrogant.
