Ryder Gabathuse
8 August 2008
Francistown — Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primaries in the three Francistown constituencies have ignited a lot of public interest from within and outside the party circles.
On August 30 Francistown East, South and West constituencies will see those who survived the vetting process slugging it out for the party ticket ahead of next year's general election.
In particular, sparks will fly in Francistown South and West constituencies where there are four and three contestants respectively. In Francistown East, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister and incumbent MP Phandu Skelemani is unopposed.
In fact, middle and high-income city dwellers reside mostly in the East especially in the areas of Area-A, China town, and Government Camp. There are also the low-income dwellers in the areas of Donga, Satellite, Coloured, Somerset East and Somerset Extension, amongst others. Selepa Estate also stands out with a high concentration of high-income dwellers although the classes generally cut across the income divide.
But generally speaking, the BDP faithful are conservative and once they like a candidate they do not shift their allegiance. Which is why Skelemani is probably unchallenged. His predecessors, current Speaker of the National Assembly, Patrick Balopi, and former Cabinet Minister Joy Phumaphi remained unopposed until they resigned on their own volition to pursue other interests.
The duo commanded so much respect from the party faithful that even in the general elections they swept all the wards in the area. It is Francistown East that continues to produce MPs that are ultimately assigned the role of ministers. Both Balopi and Phumaphi held Cabinet posts just like the incumbent. So, Skelemani has already been given the party ticket. For the uninitiated, Skelemani had challenges from two politicians in 2003, in the battle to obtain the party ticket, after Phumamphi's departure. They were Botho Ntirang and Morgan Phaladze who tried their luck and ever since they failed to make it, they have tried elsewhere. Whilst it remains unclear where Phaladze has gone, Ntirang has relocated to Tonota South - his home village - to try his luck in one of the council areas. Skelemani's team has meanwhile started the long walk to 2009 in earnest. This constituency has enjoyed a lot of peace whilst in other areas Bulela Ditswe primaries for the party ticket are blamed for the fights that often erupt.
In the South, the incumbent Khumongwana Maoto faces opposition from his 2004 challenger Wynter Molotsi, and new entrants Godknows Robbie and Hadzisani Maripe.
The quartet was cleared to contest the area recently and a tight contest is envisaged on August 30. All the contestants have done the spadework as they have registered people with hope that they will enjoy enough backing to lift the party ticket.
Talk to any one of the candidates and the likely answer would be that they are ready for the fight. Those in the know however, are adamant that the real fight is between the incumbent Maoto and Molotsi.
Depending on who wins the party ticket in the area, things have not really settled, as the old war between Maoto and Molotsi is likely to emerge, with the losing group refusing to give support to the winners. After losing the 2004 primaries, Molotsi's supporters did not cooperate with Maoto in the general election.
Trouble nearly emerged recently when the Central Committee vetted Molotsi out before some senior party members considered his protest and vetted him in.
Prior to vetting also there were altercations as a result of the process of registering people. Molotsi was worried that his colleagues, and in particular Maripe, were "involved in voter trafficking by registering people from as far as Borolong village, which is outside the constituency." Maripe rubbished the reports accusing her colleague of peddling untruths and would not comment any further as if it would give the reports the credence they did not deserve.
Molotsi also accused the newcomer, (Maripe) of using "dirty tactics" by urging people she had recruited to complete Tati Land Board application forms with a promise that she would ensure they get residential plots in neighbouring Tati Siding." Maripe did not mince words when confronted with these allegations "Why do you take some of these things so serious, especially during campaigns. Politicians can say anything especially when they want to discredit their opponents?" she declared in a recent telephone interview. It was, however, former city mayor and Monarch South councillor Ignatius Moswaane who supported Maripe by dismissing Molotsi's allegations outright. Generally, these developments reflect the tension on the ground. Apparently, even the constituents know their leaders will make informed choices.
Well, the BDP primaries here are likely to be a repeat of the 2004 ones, which were ultimately won by Maoto after a heated contest that left BDP faithful, divided. Maoto might win, benefiting from a possible split of the votes among other contestants. He remains popular in the area and a regular in the area.
His electorate are a mix of the low-income and the middle class people. There are also high-class people, especially in the Molapo Estate, and those living in the Marang Hotel enclave. The political game will however be won through hoi polloi as this is the group that mainly participates in party activities in large numbers. The party has a big battle in the West. Here incumbent Tshelang Masisi faces strong opposition from his nemesis Peter Ngoma and a newcomer, past immediate District Commissioner, Sylvia Muzila.
Door-to-door campaigns from the three camps have become the in thing. Nothing has been left to chance as the teams solidify their support in anticipation of good work come August 30. The coming in of the retired civil servant, Muzila has complicated the race. It is not really easy to predict who will run away with the party ticket.
If this provides any advantage, then the incumbent stands to benefit immensely from a reality that he is contesting against colleagues from the Francistown East constituency. Compared to the last party primaries, which had to be run twice after a protest by Ngoma, the current campaigning is without controversy. The only time there was some hullabaloo was when some contestants accused Muzila of using the state apparatus for her political campaigns. It was claimed that Muzila was using her office to campaign, which was never proved anyway.
But given the dynamics of politics, history might not help both Masisi and Ngoma. There are reports that some councillors loyal to Masisi have changed their allegiance and have found new mates in the primaries. Muzila has reportedly gained some and possibly Ngoma. Anything is possible on polling day. The electorate these days know exactly what they want from their leaders and will not expect their leaders to dictate any terms to them.
Masisi is a resident of Maipaafela, one of the low-income locations in the constituency. His house shares a boundary with the dwellers and has served the constituency for sometime now, ever since he turned the tables on the opposition in 1999.
As the incumbent, Masisi recently addressed Kgotla meetings around his area and this equally provided him an opportunity to touch base on a serious note.
But on the ground, both Ngoma and Muzila are not leaving anything to chance. They will also not watch Masisi do his things without criss-crossing the constituency for support. Here, they call soliciting for support go yenda yenda in Ikalanga.
If no one is prevented from scouting for support then the ball is in the contestants' courts to prove themselves.
Ngoma resides in Satellite in the Francistown East and is utilising freedom of choice as to where he wants to contest the parliamentary elections. Currently, he is a nominated councillor in Francistown. He needs no introduction in this area as he contested against Masisi and lost in 2004.
He has been quiet this time around but his team has been busy on the ground. Probably he knows what hit him last time and will amend things.
Although his chances are reportedly doubtful, as his work rate to those in the know has been below par, he cannot simply be dismissed from the race.
Ngoma is a master strategist who can combine both humour and hard work and shock his nemesis. The only thing that seems to be an uphill battle for him is convincing Francistown West people why he has decided to leave Skelemani to contest without opposition only to 'trouble' Masisi.
Ngoma, who was previously a city mayor, is known throughout the city and especially in this area. As a staunch supporter of Francistown's main football team, Tafic Sporting Club and a regular at the matches, he is well known. With his recent appointment as Zwenshambe village chief, Ngoma's star has been rising. For Muzila, she needs no introduction, as she is the past immediate District Commissioner. She did not look back even when her candidature was mired in controversy with other politicians shouting at her for using her office to gain support in the Francistown West.
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