Lesedi faces tough competition
The Botswana Patriotic Front’s (BPF) primary elections in the Serowe South constituency that are slated for next month are likely to be highly contested.
Three candidates, who include incumbent Leepetswe Lesedi, have expressed interest in the Parliamentary seat.
The other two candidates are Dr Kolaatamo Malefho and Prince Moitoi, both of whom have political experience and are well-known in Serowe South. They are also knowledgeable about the issues facing the constituency.
In the area, all candidates have started to campaign hard. During the festive season, they were out in full force, canvassing for votes from the residents. While many families were busy celebrating Christmas, the candidates never stopped working. They spent the holiday season campaigning and seeking votes.
Meanwhile, a dirty campaign has already begun, with the three candidates smearing each other in their quest to win votes. This has worried some BPF members in the area, who fear it could hurt the party’s reputation. On the other hand, some members of the BPF are worried that if the dirty campaign continues, it could affect the party’s performance in the general election. They believe that unity is crucial if the BPF is to retain the constituency. Furthermore, the candidates’ campaign teams have been doing door-to-door campaigns and using social media to reach voters.
Lesedi acknowledged that he is aware of the challenge he faces in the primaries.
“My challengers are well-known in the area, just like me, and they are not new to politics. The people who are challenging me were instru- mental in my cam- paign during the 2019
General Election,” Lesedi said.
But Lesedi expressed optimism that he would win the primaries because he has delivered on some of the promises that residents have been asking for. However, Lesedi acknowledged that politics is unpredictable, and anyone can win or lose on election day.
His main priority is to ensure that the constituency remains in the hands of the BPF, rather than being won by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). He also urged his challengers to run clean campaigns so that they work together in the upcoming general election. Lesedi advised his challengers to tell their teams to focus on the issues, rather than attacking or maligning any individual.
For his part, Malefho said he believes he has a good chance of winning the primaries due to his track record of service to the community. Malefho said he is motivated to run for office by the support he has received from the residents of Serowe South. He said the residents are the ones encouraging him to challenge Lesedi for the BPF nomination. He stressed that the choice of the BPF candidate will ultimately be up to the members of the party.
“They will decide who they want to represent them in the general election. Currently, we are all campaigning secretly as the party has not yet declared us to do so. We hope soon we will be allowed to freely campaign openly,” he said.
Furthermore, Malefho emphasised the importance of party unity and clean campaigning. He said personal attacks and mudslinging have no place in the BPF. Despite the challenges, Malefho remains hopeful that he will be chosen as the BPF candidate in the primary elections.
Meanwhile, another BPF member, Moitoi, also acknowledged that he is planning to run in the primary elections. Like Malefho, Moitoi believes that he has a good chance of winning the primary elections.
“I have been part of this community for many years, and I know what the people want and need. However, I respect the democratic process, and I know that the members will choose the candidate they prefer,” Moitoi said.
Even though the official campaign season has not yet begun, Moitoi has been quietly laying the groundwork for his candidacy. He has been meeting with community members and listening to their concerns.
Moitoi’s wife served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Serowe South for more than two terms, and he believes that his experience and knowledge will be an asset to his campaign.
As a result of his wife’s time as the MP, Moitoi has developed strong relationships with the people of Serowe South. He was then able to visit every corner of the constituency and meet people there.
The candidates’ campaign teams have been doing door-to-door campaigns and using social media to reach voters