BDP retains Grootlaagte ward

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has retained the Grootlaagte council seat in the Gantsi North Constituency following the Saturday by-election. The ward fell vacant following the death of the area councillor.

The area had four candidates, which include the BDP’s Petro Moretlwa, who garnered 346 votes against the Umbrella for Democratic Change’s (UDC) Tjitemisa Sehakgamaleng who got 162, the Botswana Movement for Democracy’s (BMD) Theko Kopanelo with 39 votes, and independent candidate, Malesele Jacob, who received 10 votes.

As compared to the 2019 General Election, the turnout for voting dropped by 12%. In 2019, Grootlaagte recorded a 79% turnout and this time around 67% of voters showed up.

In an interview, BDP secretary-general Kavis Kario said on Sunday : “The BDP takes the opportunity to once again thank the people of Grootlaagte ward for affirming their trust and confidence in the party by electing Moretlwa at the by-election held yesterday (Saturday). We commend our ground forces and party operatives in the Gantsi North Constituency for their relentless efforts to ensure that the party retains Grootlaagte ward.” He said they wanted someone who understands the community of that area and they believe Moretlwa is the one to do the job.

Kario said their candidate will represent Grootlaagte better and their concerns would be taken to both the party’s national council, congress, and even up to the government level.

He said the area has challenges of unemployment which Moretlwa would aid in ways in which his community could be assisted with. One of the issues, that Kario said Moretlwa would look into, is the issue of internal roads in the area which he believes there is need for them to be paved.

On Bosele ward, he said they extend gratitude to the people of Bosele who came out in satisfactory numbers to vote for the BDP.

“Our loss in Bosele ward, which we had won convincingly in 2019, is a clarion call to all our members and well-wishers to upscale efforts and togetherness in campaigns. We must pay particular attention to the aspirations of our communities and become the embodiment of our people’s desires,” he said.

He implored all BDP members to remain focused and positioned to win elections in 2024.

He said they may only do so by selfless dedication to the core principles of the party, being unity for purpose, botho and therisanyo.