Mmegi

UDC unleashes ‘homeboy’ Motshegwa to secure Mmadinare

Motshegwa having one on one with Maele at the launch of UDC Manifesto(online). PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Motshegwa having one on one with Maele at the launch of UDC Manifesto(online). PIC MORERI SEJAKGOMO

The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) will tomorrow invade Mmadinare for an occasion to launch one of its trusted soldiers, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, to secure the Mmadinare constituency.

Motshegwa, who is one of the members of the UDC National Executive Committee (NEC) and also a Botswana National Front (BNF) secretary-general, will be officially launched at Maphoka Freedom Square in what will also be an emotional homecoming for the veteran unionist-cum-politician. Motshegwa will on Saturday, alongside his team of aspiring councillors, officially receive the mandate from the UDC president, Duma Boko, to represent the coalition at the 2024 General Election. After being given a new lease of life since he gave away his parliamentary candidacy at Gaborone Bonnington South constituency to the Alliance for Progressives (AP) president Ndaba Goalathe, Motshegwa is expected to put up a spirited fight to wrestle the Mmadinare constituency from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

Motshegwa was set to contest the Gaborone Bonnington South constituency seat again but was forced to make way for Gaolathe when AP joined the UDC last year. Gaolathe and Motshegwa fought on opposite sides in 2019, but voter splitting between the two meant that BDP’s Christian Greeff emerged the victor, snatching away the area from the opposition. Gaolathe was the incumbent at the time and he came second with 3, 461 votes. Motshegwa was third with 2, 367 votes while Greeff got 4, 603 votes to emerge the winner. In Mmadinare, which is a BDP stronghold, the veteran trade unionist has his work cut out for him as he will come up against BDP’s Kefentse Mzwinila and Botswana Congress Party’s (BCP) Sennye Obuseng. The battle for this constituency is expected to produce fireworks as all the candidates are not pushovers.

Mzwinila is a cabinet minister and one of President Masisi’s trusted lieutenants, therefore his party will do everything to ensure that it retains the constituency. On the other hand, the BCP has fielded an experienced economist who is revered for his commitment to governance and the rule of law to mark the two. By the look of things, the UDC is fully aware of the battle that awaits Motshegwa and has gone all to ensure that he gets a respectable homecoming. A strong-looking lineup of speakers headlined by UDC president Boko, vice president Gaolathe, UDC chairman Motlatsi Molapise, Leader of Opposition Dithapelo Keorapetse, Ignatius Moswaane as well as Ford Moiteela has been fielded for the launch. A known militant trade unionist, Motshegwa’s candidature is seen as a strategy by the UDC to present itself as a party that is accommodative to workers and trade unions. Whilst candidates' launches are not usually the best way to measure how well the party has done to woo voters in the constituency, the Saturday launch bears massive significance for Motshegwa, who finally has a constituency after the uncertainty that clouded his candidature for this year’s general election earlier on.

Editor's Comment
UDC's 100 Days: Please deliver your promises!

We duly congratulate them to have ousted the long ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) from power. Prior to taking power from the BDP, the coalition had made several election promises that are credited for influencing change and swaying the people to vote in its favour.The party had made an undertaking, which its leader and President Duma Boko consistently bellowed in his campaign trail. These undertakings were promises that Batswana would be...

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