Autlwetse is the immediate past Central District Council (CDC) chairman. Other peoples contest in the Serowe North East constituency remains doubtful for many reasons.
In the 2004 general election, there were five rivals who ran in the first contest before the BDP leadership ordered a re-run after Seretse had successfully protested Autlwetses win.
Besides Seretse and Autlwetse, nominated councillor Prince Kgwaneng, retired military Brigadier Iphemele Kgokgothwane and Serowe-based businessman Simon Kerebotswe also tried their luck. Kerebotswe has since made his position clear: For the 2009 elections, I have no reason to challenge Seretse because since the last elections, he has been performing with aplomb at both his constituency and cabinet. To him, it is not a question of chickening out of the race but principle. Remember that in the 2004 BDP primaries re-run, three of us, myself, Kgwaneng and Kgokgothwane withdrew our candidature and supported Seretse. I still support him. As for Kgwaneng, he is still undecided: Although I have my own feelings over contesting or not contesting, I have not yet decided to make my intention public, he says.
Following his loss, Kgwaneng was nominated to the Central District Council. Curiously, although nominated councillors - being no more than the personal choice of the Minister of Local Government - do not represent any specific ward, many see Kgwaneng as belonging to Vice President Ian Khamas constituency of Serowe North West.
To those in the know, Kgwanengs indecision is a polite way of pulling out as it must be difficult for him to challenge Seretse, having given him his support in the last party primaries. Some even attribute Kgwanengs nomination to council to Seretses prodding.
In a previous interview, Mmegi asked Kgwaneng if he would run in the Serowe North West constituency after Khama vacates it next year to become Botswanas fourth president. His indecision could partly be due to the fact that he is eyeing this opportunity.
Attempts to reach another 2004 BDP primaries loser Iphemele Kgokgothwane this week were futile. Like Kgwaneng and Kerebotswe, Kgokgothwane could not contest a re-run of the Serowe North East BDP primaries. If he does not contest this time around, it will not come as a surprise as that is what many people are expecting.
This basically limits the party primaries to Seretse and Autlwetse, unless another challenger emerges, which is highly unlikely. Seretse confirmed to Mmegi this week that he has not changed his mind to serve his constituents further. I will definitely be seeking re-election when the party opens up Bulela Ditswe primaries. There is nothing that can keep me away from defending the area, he said.
Perhaps what fires Seretse is the feedback from his constituents who agree with Kerebotswe that the man has been performing with aplomb at both constituency and cabinet levels. He simply laughs when this feedback is repeated to him. But the former military man does seem to be performing well in a ministry never short of controversy.
As he seeks re-election, Seretse knows very well that in 2004, he lost the first round of the BDP primaries to Autlwetse by a margin of 48, only to win a re-run with a yet thinner margin of 21. As MP and cabinet minister, he has the advantage of feeling the pulse of the people, as he is duty-bound to always touch base.
But Seretse would be wrong to think it will all be smooth-sailing. He has to recognise that his opponents represent some challenge, even though Autlwetses obstacles may appear to be more difficult to mount than his. Autlwetse says his participation in the forthcoming party primaries will depend on whether the party leadership will vet him into the race. If I am vetted in, I will definitely stand as it is within my rights to do so.
Autlwetse was a councillor for 10 years, five of which he was Council Chairman.
His main thrust is to prove that Seretses win in the last election was by fluke. As a farmer and businessman-cum politician and one of the longest serving councillors in the Central District, Autlwetse has not lost touch with the constituents.
But lately, his interaction with the electorate has not been as regular as before. Whilst Seretse is traversing the length and breath of the constituency mostly on official duties, Autlwetse will have to convert his personal resources on the campaign trail, which might prove costly.
He will go into the constituency race fully conscious of what Bulela Ditswe of 2004 did to his political career. He won the first leg of the primaries, which were characterised by protests and bitter infighting.
But celebrations for his victory were short-lived; shortly thereafter, the party leadership ordered a re-run, which he lost. The party did not entertain his protest, throwing it out without much ado.
Autlwetse later sought the intervention of the High Court to nullify Seretses win. All in vain. Apparently, he has become very careful with whatever he says. Even when Mmegi interviewed him this week, Autlwetse kept saying he preferred to take it after the party has vetted me in.
Ordinarily, he is the type of politician that speaks his mind on pertinent issues, but it seems losing Serowe North East has silenced him.
The next race will come at a time when factionalism that dogged the BDP during the 2004 general election has been disbanded. The political fight between Seretse and Autlwetse was infact an extension of the Nkate-Merafhe and Kedikilwe factions respectively.
Nonetheless, the duel has all the ingredients of a thriller. Autlwetse will go into it for sweet revenge, while Seretse will want to prove that he remains the preferred giant.
