Two constituencies currently held by UDC legislators who were previously members of the opposition, Botswana Congress Party (BCP), have suddenly become battlegrounds for UDC disputes. The UDC’s other areas have also been gripped by bickering despite the party leadership providing direction on how the party should share wards ahead of the General Election. When the BCP, a former party contracted to the UDC, left the latter after the leaders of the two parties could not agree on a number of contentious issues, four legislators and other councillors chose to remain loyal to the UDC which they won the 2019 General Election under.
In the process, the BCP resolved to fire the MPs that were stuck with the UDC. Although there were previously five legislators that had abandoned the BCP for the UDC, one of them, Okavango MP, Kenny Kapinga changed heart and returned to the BCP. Palapye MP, Onneetse Ramogapi, Never Tshabang (Nkange), Dithapelo Keorapetse ( Selebi-Phikwe West) and Mahalapye West MP David Tshere, are former members of the BCP. Whilst Keorapetse and Tshere have relatively quite campaigns, Ramogapi and Tshabang have been gripped by brouhaha from members of the contracted parties, the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the Alliance for progressives (AP) who want shares of the wards, more than the incumbent MPs can give away. This is despite that the UDC leadership has given specifications on how much MP candidates can do in their endeavour to win constituencies for the UDC. Out of frustration recently, MP Ramogapi of Palapye blasted the BNF secretary-general, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, and the AP members for ‘imposing’ council candidates without even consulting him disregarding the party provision on managing council candidates. Motshegwa was in no mood to respond to Mmegi enquiries and he dismissively said: “I am aware of many more and I don’t have time for petty issues.”
Equally, council candidate in Nkange constituency told Mmegi on condition of anonymity described some members of the BNF and AP who want to claim wards from the Tshabang team as "bo maja polaelo( one who reaps where he has not sown)" as they simply want to grow their parties in a territory where area MP Tshabang has worked so hard nforn the UDC to be where it is after crossing floor from the BCP.
"What we witness in Nkange some individual parties without even structures in Nkange want to usurp some wards so that they can grow their own parties. This is wrong and we can't allow it after working so hard to ensure the UDC is visible with an attitude of retaining the constituency," said a council candidate who is vying for re-election. He was also worried that after their hard work in Nkange they fear that internal party squabbles seem to be turning people away from the UDC at a crucial time when the party should be consolidating its position with a view to winning the constituency.
A senior member of the UDC leadership, Motlatsi Molapise, who is UDC’s chairperson, this week reiterated his position that he is the one assigned to deal with the sharing of wards in constituencies. “The agreement is that the incumbents and other parliamentary candidates, have been given a preference to have 60% of direct candidates of their own choice and leave 40% to other contracted parties to provide candidates,” Molapise explained this week. There have been complaints that both the BNF and the AP have been trying to ignore this (UDC) arrangement by imposing their party candidates without consulting MP candidates on the choice of council candidates. “I can confirm that I am aware of complaints of sharing of wards, but it’s however, not worrying because it’s within my abilities to deal with it,” highlighted Molapise. He explained that the UDC has assigned him to address all issues emerging from various areas where the UDC is contesting and there are such disagreements. Molapise further told Mmegi: “Every constituency with direct candidates and other constituencies, the MP candidates have to ensure that the calibre of council candidates should be ones who can help them win the constituencies.” The UDC chairperson is steadfast that the party leadership will be able to contain issues currently on the table. He also indicated that almost every elections year contentious issues arise. “I don’t know if it’s a question of people who are thirsty to ensure the UDC wins or they want to be simply employed,” he wondered. At the end of the day, Molapise is positive that he and other UDC executive members will come up with a workable solution to problems bedevilling the party ahead of the elections.
