Francistown — The race for the next Francistown mayor has reportedly degenerated into a factional battle in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Members of the Barata-Phathi faction, which produced a majority of BDP councillors after the recent general elections are said to have met last week to agree on the mayor and his-her deputy.

The faction is reported to have settled on Ikageleng councillor Shadreck Nyeku from Francistown South constituency to go for the mayor's seat with Stanley Masalila of Tatitown ward as his deputy.

However, Nyeku said yesterday that the BDP has not yet met to decide on who will become mayor."We are yet to meet as BDP members to determine who will contest the mayoral seat," said the 49-year-old councillor. "May be after meeting that is when we will be able to say something," he added. Nyeku is a first time councillor and a businessman in the construction industry. He served for many years as an employee of the Standard Chartered Bank. He cut his political teeth in the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP).

The man who is tipped to be his deputy, Masalila denied that he is interested in the seat."I have heard such allegations that I was in the race," he said.

He has also heard reports that his faction met last week to determine who will be mayor and the deputy. But he says these are rumours. "By all means, we never held any meeting where the mayoral elections was the subject of our discussion," said the 50-year-old Masalila, a carpenter and former employee of Orapa mine. In 1998, he joined Lewis Furnishers as a sales representative.

Meanwhile, Satellite South ward councillor and former mayor Honest Buti Billy has declared his interest in the seat again."I am definitely interested," declared 39-year-old Billy. "If during elections, factional interest takes centre stage then I will lose. But if the determining factor will be capability and experience then I will be the man," he said. Billy claims that during his tenure, from 2005-2009, he did his best and he deserves another shot.

Definitely, the odds are stacked high against Billy and his A-Team faction as they do not have the requisite numbers to carry the day. In the last council, the A-Team was in control with, Billy as mayor with nominated councillor, Lamodimo Dikomang as the deputy mayor.

But the recent general elections has seen Barata-Phathi gaining majority of council seats.The A-Team, which is apparently based in the Francistown East constituency, has only two elected councillors in Billy and James Kgalajwe of Satellite North.

On the other hand, Barata-Phathi has 11 councillors, while the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has seven with former mayor Ignatius Moswaane coming in as an indepedent.

The number of councillors is going to change after the Minister of Local Government is done with the nominations.

As it stands, the winner of the mayoral contest will be determined at a BDP caucus meeting, which does not give opposition councillors an opportunity to play a role in the process. The meeting is usually held a day or two before the real elections.

FCC senior public relations officer, Priscilla Gulubane told Mmegi yesterday that from November 2 the FCC will conduct a week long induction course for all the councillors, to teach them about council standing orders and the general procedures. "It is after the induction course that the council will convene a special full council where the elections will be held," she said.