Naturally some politicians will exploit problems in their constituencies, be it with government or organisations to make hay while the sun shines. At the University of Botswana (UB) there are quite a few problems among them shortage of accommodation. After the Ministry of Education announced reduced off-campus allowance by P500, many students chose to stay on campus because it is cheaper. The university found itself battling with a large number of students who wanted to stay on-campus. Most of them were not accommodated, as the facilities were not enough to house them all, hence some were forced to sleep in offices and conference rooms at the university. Then there is the other matter of the students bid in court to prevent the ministry from reducing off-campus allowances. Being in the Gaborone Central constituency, it was obvious when these issues were panning out that this being an election year, candidates will position themselves as the students' saviours in their hour of need. Based on this reasoning it was a given that the candidates would help put pressure on government to sort out the mess at UB. However the students found themselves caught up in a clandestine face-off between the Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Trouble between the two parties started when area MP Dumelang Saleshando of the BCP found hurdles in his path when he tried to get to the root of the problem and address students. The UB Student Representative Council (SRC) is dominated by BNF activists and according to Saleshando, they have been less than welcoming to his overtures. He said every time he sought audience with the SRC, he was snubbed. "I am worried that you do not treat my requests for meetings with the urgency they deserve. You will recall that on July 10, 2009, I wrote to you proposing that we convene a meeting on the 13th of the same month. This meeting ultimately took place on July 23 after I had written yet another letter requesting for the meeting. I am aware that this general reluctance to meet me to discuss issues relating to student interests have been accompanied by a clear campaign to try and give an impression that I am not willing to assist the SRC to resolve the difficulties it is facing, which is not true," Saleshando wrote to the SRC.
In the letter, he painted a very sad picture. He accused the SRC of employing dirty tactics against him and portraying him as a useless representative who has no time to attend to his constituents' troubles and by extension de-campaigning him. "I listened to the SRC president's (MacDonald Rakgare) interview on Gabz FM this week (Tuesday) in which he clearly stated that I have not availed any assistance. He went on further to say that in place of the MP, they have received support from the BNF parliamentary candidate. When we last met, the SRC representatives at the meeting requested me to tackle some issue through Parliament by posing questions to the Minister of Education.
I availed your office with the questions I had submitted for answer by the minister. I remain actively involved with the problems facing the students," he wrote.
