The by-election was occasioned by the death of councillor Reuben Ketlhoilwe in May following a long illness. In the 2019 general elections, Ketlhoilwe won the ward under the UDC ticket with 579 votes. He was followed by Gilbert Boikhutso of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Bushy Ditshotlo of the Alliance for Progressives (AP) and Gilbert Makombo of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) with 550, 196 and 49 votes respectively.
The political dynamics at Moselewapula have now changed following the return of the BCP’s prodigal son, Gilbert Makombo, to its fold. According to the chairperson of the BCP in Francistown West, Smarts Shabani, Makombo will slug it out with Oagile Wairi. However, the duo’s candidacy is subject to vetting before they can be allowed to compete in the primary election, said Shabani. “In the 2019 general elections, Ketlhoilwe who was a BCP activist won Moselewapula ward under the banner of the UDC hence the ward belongs to the BCP. However, the BCP will compete in the by-election under the ticket of UDC just like in 2019.
