BCP sends ‘Mmannana’ for a second chance
Spira Tlhankane | Friday September 6, 2024 10:54
As an effort to propel more women into Parliament and close the gender gap in political participation and representation, the BCP has once again nominated its spokesperson, Pheko, to try reclaim the constituency it held for a decade between 2004 and 2014. The BCP has managed to build its membership and structures in this constituency for years.
Pheko was a parliamentary candidate for the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) for the Gaborone Central constituency in the last General Election. Pheko returns to the same constituency she failed to win in 2019 after Tumisang Healy of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) won it by 4, 886 votes in 2019.
Pheko, who came second then had 3, 085 votes, will give it another shot this time around in the BCP colours. This follows the BCP’s decision to quit the opposition coalition and go at it alone in the General Election on October 30. Pheko seeks to win Gaborone Central, a swing constituency, which can be won by anyone from any party. The constituency holds a distinctive record where it is difficult to run for a second term. The political dynamics within Gaborone Central suggests a vibrant political environment, where constituents value fresh perspectives and new leadership over continuity. Incumbent legislator, Healy, recently lost Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primaries, therefore, Pheko will face competition from Bontsi Monare of the BDP and Phenyo Butale of the UDC.
Pheko is a social justice activist and politician. She was born and raised in a small village called Mabutsane but she joined active politics in 2006, and currently serves as the Publicity and Information Secretary for the BCP where she is overseeing the branding, marketing and communications portfolios for the party.
She is a University professor, a mother and a business woman operating a consulting firm which offers business consulting, events organising and corporate training services. In terms of professional standing, she currently works for the University of Botswana (UB) as a Head of Psychology Department and professor of Industrial-Organisational Psychology. Her interests in workers’ rights also led her to serve as the Executive Secretary of the University of Botswana Staff Union, UBASSSU.
Academically, she earned her PhD in Organisational Psychology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa; MA in Industrial-Organisational Psychology from Alliant International University, USA, and a BSc Degree in Psychology from Barry University in Miami, USA.
She is now trying to swing a constituency, which has a unique trend. It only is the BCP leader Dumelang Saleshando who managed to win two consecutive terms in the constituency’s entire 30 year history. Looking back, the first ever Gaborone Central Member of Parliament (MP) the late political icon and stalwart, Michael Dingake, served one term between 1994 and 1999 only to lose after defecting from the Botswana National front (BNF) to BCP in 1998. Dingake lost to Margaret Nasha of the ruling BDP in 1999 only for the latter to lose to then young Saleshando in what was a David vs Goliath encounter in 2004.
Saleshando managed re-election in 2009 before the UDC’s Phenyo Butale ousted him. Butale did not last after his then party, the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) split to form the Alliance for Progressives (AP) in 2017. As a result, incumbent Healy reclaimed the seat for the BDP in the 2019 General Election. Healy's tenure has come to an end therefore Pheko is looking forward to continuing the trend by becoming the Gaborone Central legislator.