UDC fails to identify Bophirima ward candidate

The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) is still struggling to resolve the issue of candidacy for the Bophirima ward in the Gaborone Bonnington South constituency.

So far three contracting parties in the umbrella, namely Botswana National Front (BNF), Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and the Alliance for Progressives (AP) have shown interest in contesting in the area.

This is despite the opposition bloc having had agreed to cooperate during by-elections. Already, BCP is not happy with some decisions that are made at the UDC level to allocate wards that they contested for during the 2019 General Election.

The by-election for a council candidate according to the Independent Electoral Commission, should be held within three months if one resigns or dies. Therefore, the UDC is running behind time and the by-election might be called at any time. This week, UDC spokesperson, Moeti Mohwasa confirmed that they have not yet identified a candidate for Bophirima ward.

Parties are expected to have submitted the names of their aspirant candidates by March 17 and the by-election for the ward will be on April 9.

Recently, the BCP youth league made it clear that its member, Peter Mogapi, is the right candidate for Bophirima ward in the Gaborone Bonnington South constituency.

“We want Mogapi to be given preference to stand for any elections in Bophirima ward after the 2019 General Election. There is a letter that was written to the BCP by the UDC in 2019 that Bophirima ward is assigned to the BCP,” BCP youth league president, Tlhabologo Furniture had said.

“This ward is under our care and therefore we have a candidate. Other members should support us as we have been supporting them at some of the wards that were still under our care. The BCP cannot be the only one that keeps on compromising a lot.”

The BCP youth league believes that their party has compromised on the Lentsweletau, Metsimotlhabe, Tamasane wards and they cannot compromise on Bophirima. Metsimotlhabe and Lentsweletau were allocated to AP while Tamasane was given to the Botswana Patriotic Front. On the other hand, the BNF wants Mankie Sekete to be the preferred candidate for the ward.

In the 2019 General Election, BDP garnered 731 votes, UDC got 437, AP had 333 while an independent candidate got 113 at Bophirima ward. Meanwhile, over the weekend, the Botswana Democratic Party had its primary election to select its aspirant candidate, Onkemetse Mothei for the ward.