Boko, who was also a member of UDC founding member, Botswana National Front (BNF) unexpectedly quit politics citing many reasons amongst them ‘betrayals’ and ‘backstabbing’ which he said were suffocating him. The former youthful Member of Parliament (MP) won the constituency in the 2019 General Election with 4,323 votes against Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) Dr Ditshupo Maje who received 3,786 votes. Saleshando over the weekend in Mahalapye indicated that the UDC is thankless and has left the area without a MP with a few months left before the 2024 General Election. “UDC has registered this constituency at Masiela Trust Fund. It is the only constituency which will not have a voice as we discuss the constitution review,” he said.
Saleshando, who was launching BCP Mahalapye East MP candidate Ethel Gampone, said in the latter the BCP has what they need to make up for UDC’s ungrateful gesture. The BCP leader said Gampone comes at a time when the constituency has been left abandoned by the UDC. “Mahalapye East we are here to give you an MP, a woman of stature who doesn’t use the gender card because she knows her worth. She is a businesswoman who has proved her competence,” Saleshando emphasised. He added that Mahalapye East constituents should do themselves a favour by voting for Gampone in the October polls. He said as the BCP targets 31 MP seats at this year’s General Election, they are banking on Mahapye East. For her part, Gampone who is also BCP Women’s League vice president, said she is not a visitor in the constituency and she is contesting there because the needs of Mahalapye East require a determined and visionary person. She said she has traversed the constituency where she has seen various social ills. “Mahalapye East needs people who will stand up for their community, not individuals who want to enrich themselves with government tenders. “We have become the forgotten ones who don’t exist in the Botswana map,” she outlined.
