Chandapiwa Baputaki
13 November 2009
The newly elected Gaborone mayor, Veronica Lesole has urged the councillors to work as a team regardless of their party affiliations as they have one common goal of delivering developments in the city.
Lesole, a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillor for Tsogang ward aligned to the Barata-Phathi faction, was giving her acceptance speech after beating Florence Shagwa of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) 21 -7 in the mayoral elections yesterday. It was announced that the Ministry of Local Government has amended the Council and Township Act for the mayor's tenure to be extended to two-and-a-half years and subject to renewal. "It was a case of majority rules in this election but when we return for the real business we must work together for the common goal of developing the city. We must not sit back and say 'we finally made it to council so everything is fine with us'. We owe it to those people who voted us in here," she said.
Lesole urged the councillors to see to it that the committees in the wards, like village development committees (VDCs) and the parent-teachers associations (PTAs) do their work. "We must deliver on the promises we made to the voters when campaigning. This is a time that everyone should see to it that change comes to the city," Lesole said.
She commended the outgoing the mayor and his team for doing a great job. She said her team would continue where they stopped. "I want us to be seen to be doing our job. I want to see results and I want us to work together regardless of our political party affiliation," she said adding, "I believe that you have trust and confidence that I will deliver the mandate of this council. Thank you for electing me into this office."
Haskins Nkayigwa of Gaborone South in New Naledi ward was elected deputy mayor, after beating Ndiwani Kenosi of the BCP 19-7 after one abstained and one vote was spoiled.
The BDP thus toppled the Botswana National Front (BNF), who were the majority party in Gaborone City Council (GCC) before the October 16 general elections, winning 22 seats, with BCP taking only seven.
BDP has taken over GCC after 25 years of leadership under the BNF, who only managed to win one seat through Olebogeng Kemelo of Bontleng ward, Gaborone South.
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