This decision rests squarely on the residents of Selebi-Phikwe West constituency, who will determine whether he deserves another chance to represent them. They must consider whether Keorapetse has truly advocated for their interests during his term of office. The strength of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the political party under which he is contesting, will also play a crucial role in this election. While Keorapetse has proven himself as an effective representative, the party he aligns with lacks significant support in that region. The dominant political forces in Selebi-Phikwe West are the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Nonetheless, history shows that a candidate can triumph even from a weaker party. It is not uncommon in Botswana for voters to defy party lines and make independent choices at the ballot box.
Keorapetse's journey began at the age of 17 when he became involved in activism, laying the foundation for his political aspirations. Now, as he faces this critical juncture, both his past achievements and the current political landscape will be tested in the upcoming election. What Keorapetse is aspiring to see most is Botswana, which reaches democratic consolidation with strong independent institutions. “I’d like to see this beautiful country transform economically where its economy works for all, creates adequate jobs, reduces poverty and inequalities, promotes citizen empowerment and honours the dignity of work. Like Nelson Mandela once said, it is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve,” he said in an interview. When asked about the role of a Member of Parliament (MP) and his performance in Parliament, Keorapetse said an MP does three things primarily; making in terms of Section 86 of the Constitution, oversight in terms of Section 50 and representation. “I have presented eight members private Bills, a few motions and hundreds of questions and have debated all major policy proposals,” he said.
He said eight Bills by one MP in a decade sounds like a record. Some of the Bills that Keorapetse said he proposed include the Corruption and Economic Crime (DCEC) Amendment Bill, the Media Practitioners Act Repeal Bill, the Marriage Amendment Bill, amongst others. Furthermore, he said the object was to ensure greater independence of the DCEC, like improving appointment procedures securing the tenure of the Director General and detaching the DCEC from the civil service. In addition, he said the Bill has raised awareness of what needs to be done to deal with corruption in the country. On the Media Practitioners Act Repeal Bill, he said the idea was to repeal the oppressive Media Law, which could see journalists imprisoned. He, however, said he is happy that the law has been repealed and re-enacted after so much pressure he exerted. While on the Marriage Amendment Bill, he said some school heads in Selebi-Phikwe informed him of some children who left secondary schools to be married under religious and customary marriages. “The attempt was to prevent children under 18 from being married in terms of customary or religious arrangements. The impact is that the law is being reformed to achieve this and the objectives,” he continued.
Additionally, the former Leader of Opposition said some of the Bills were the Affiliation Proceedings Amendment Bill, the Electoral Amendment Bill 2024, the Botswana Defence Force Amendment Bill, the Botswana Police Amendment Bill, the Botswana Prisons Amendment Bill and the Public Service Act and the Employment Act. Meanwhile, he still maintains that the BCL Mine closure was a reckless decision, a monumental mistake. Moreover, he said BCL employed 15% of the SPEDU region’s workforce, the BCL Group hired directly 5, 000 and indirectly employed 10, 000 people. He said when it was still operating, the BCL was estimated to be directly responsible for 20-25% of spending by households in the SPEDU region and the mine accounted for 2.4% of GDP (first half of 2016). He argued against unfair competition of agents who buy in China and elsewhere competing against manufacturers for government tenders. He said it is unfair and the government cannot create jobs in manufacturing, especially in Selebi-Phikwe.
