However BDP executive secretary, Dr Comma Serema was yesterday reluctant to outline the BDP strategy for the September 4 Tonota North by-election, but indicated that "We have adopted our strategy called 'Weather Bureau'". For fear that BDP rivals might counteract its strategy, Serema would not discuss the issue in greater detail. "Even in the 2009 general election, we used the same strategy," Serema revealed in an interview with Mmegi.
Though former BDP secretary general and Cabinet minister Jacob Nkate could not harness the results of the BDP's 'Weather Bureau' strategy as he lost elections for Ngami, Serema says it was Nkate's brainchild. In the last elections, Nkate doubled as the head of the BDP manifesto team and the National Elections and Strategy Team (NEST). Serema regards the BDP election strategy as a powerful tool that is result-oriented and "it helps us to knock at every door". He concedes that it is expensive to execute the party strategy but notes that politics is equally an expensive undertaking. The BDP has deployed party vehicles and operatives in all the wards to work permanently there, which is impossible for the struggling opposition party. The ruling party also has more councillors who are determined to add value to the campaign. "It has always been part of our bigger plan to cover the whole Tonota North constituency. For us it's part of our strategy that every vote counts, hence we are going to reach almost every potential voter in the area before the by-election," said Serema. He adds that every vote must be counted and they will be counting the votes on polling day. The BDP is fielding Fidelis Molao against Dr Habaudi Hubona of the BCP to fill the seat, which fell vacant when former Member of Parliament (MP) Baledzi Gaolathe died early this month. "Elections are our lifeline just like a human being needs oxygen to survive. If we win the elections, life goes on but if we lose, we disappear," said Serema. Whilst the BDP can't disclose the type of resources it has marshalled for the by-election campaigns, officials are confident that they will get the desired results.
