Fierce battle looms in BPF Nata-Gweta primaries

Chakalisa Dube | Friday July 26, 2024 12:21

The winner of the primaries will face incumbent Polson Majaga of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and Mompati Seitiso of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Analysts have predicted a very tight race at the elections because the two men have been on the ground for sometime. Ookeditse will inevitably rely on his previous experience having contested the parliamentary primaries in the constituency before. In 2018, he lost to Majaga at the BDP primaries to book candidacy for the 2019 General Election. His loss was largely attributed to starting campaigns very late. Ookeditse appears to have learnt a lesson from his 2018 loss as he started his campaigns for the BPF primaries much earlier. He has been on the ground positioning himself for a triumph since early last year.

Sources say he has been the most visible in the constituency and is well resourced. His opponent has also publicly accused him of buying votes, campaigning before turn and gross trafficking. In fact, the rivalry between Kehitile and Ookeditse has been so intense for over two years. At one-point Kehitile was barred from contesting the primaries. He accused Ookeditse of playing a leading role in ensuring that he is prevented from contesting. The party later changed its position. That was after the decision to bar Kehitile from contesting appeared to have caused outrage amongst some BPF members in the constituency. Kehitile will be banking on his position as a councillor for Dukwi, one of the biggest wards in the constituency. His impeccable performance as a councillor can to some extent earn him votes at the primaries. By virtue of being a councillor he has to a certain degree been able to assert himself to BPF members. Kehitile also previously spent a year as the Tutume District Council (TDC) chairperson. The district covers several villages in the constituency.



Kehitile’s position allowed him to hold kgotla meetings across the constituency, which observers said partly helped him to position himself for the primaries. He was ousted from the position in December last year. This week, Kehitile said that he has done his homework and he is confident that he will emerge victorious. “We are ready for the elections. The only obstacle is the voters’ roll. There is a voters’ roll that is trending around which highlights that there is an element of trafficking. There are people who were trafficked from as far as Lecheng and Malaka. Some of the people who have been trafficked are linked to my competitor,” Kehitile said. Kehitile noted that many BPF members from villages such as Nata, Mosetse, and Dukwi are missing from the voters' roll. Sources informed Mmegi that Kehitile has written a letter to the party, demanding that this discrepancy be corrected. Insiders also revealed that Kehitile has expressed his intention to contest the primaries, albeit under protest, if his concerns are not addressed.

Ookeditse did not shed much light on his preparations but shrugged off suggestions that his camp is flouting BPF primary election procedures. “I am not going to enter into a piss contest with one of our party members. I am Secretary General of the BPF and have immense responsibility for the multitudes of BPF members here at home and across the country,” he said in a written response to Mmegi.