Oarabile Mosikare
14 November 2008
Francistown — The Secretary General of the Botswana People's Party (BPP) has expressed disappointment about his comrades' failure to beat the deadline for applications for council and parliamentary aspirants.
The party had set August 31 as the application deadline for those wishing to stand for council and parliament in various wards and constituencies. In an interview yesterday, Edward Mpoloka said the process had been embarrassingly slow.
"Only a few people have submitted their applications," he said. "Even where we have sitting councillors, comrades have not applied. They just assume that they are going to stand."
Mpoloka said the BPP executive committee will meet next weekend to discuss the way forward and how potential candidates could be encouraged to respond.He was not willing to say which constituency he wanted to run in. In an earlier interview, Mpoloka said he was in a dilemma and still weighing his options.
"I have options to stand for either a parliamentary seat in one of the three Francistown constituencies or for a council seat," he said. "I haven't made up my mind."
Mpoloka said he would be in a position to disclose his choice only after the executive committee meeting next weekend.
Only the party's Director of Elections, Richard Gudu, and former Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Secretary for Economic Affairs, Whyte Marobela, have openly said they will run in Tati West and Francistown West constituencies respectively.
Relative newcomer Marobela has actually dislodged BPP President Bernard
Balikani from the Francistown West constituency. Mpoloka would not say where his displaced party president would go, though he is known to be interested in Francistown South.
Mpoloka has been assigned to consult the concerned constituency where Balikani will relocate. He said he was still in discussions with the people concerned and that he would report back to the party soon.
In Francistown South, Balikani is likely to meet with some resistance his party Secretary for Political Affairs, Reverend Philip Mthetho, who is also known to be interested in running there.
Mpoloka said very few people from the south of Botswana have applied to contest the 2009 general elections, re-fuelling speculation that the BPP is a regional party for the North East District.
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