BDP could gain from UDC fracas

The ruling party has so far lost nine wards out of 12 to opposition parties in the recent by-elections. Now, the candidacy brawl at the Umbrella Democratic Party (UDC) between Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) might have given the BDP a new lifeline. The self-inflicted deep divisions in the opposition coalition could now have given the BDP the easiest way to hold on to the council seat. The ward became vacant after the former councilor for Bophirima, Kagiso Mongwaketse, passed on.

After fielding Onkemetse Mothei as the candidate for Bophirima ward by-election in the Gaborone Bonnington South constituency, the BDP has been confident that it will retain the ward it won in the 2019 general election. This confidence did not just come out of nowhere especially after a tough time at the polls recently. Just when everyone thought the BDP had finally lost ground, the many moving parts in the coalition came crumbling down when this week the BCP central committee (CC) announced that it does not recognise Mankie Sekete of the Botswana National Front (BNF) as the UDC candidate.