BPF confident Khama will 'clip' Masisi's wings
Innocent Selatlhwa | Wednesday October 2, 2024 10:28
In addition to telling them about existing government programmes, Masisi donated an assortment of livestock to Tshimoyapula, promising to do more for residents if they voted for his party at the national polls slated for October 30, 2024. Mmegi has learnt that with acting Bagammangwato regent, Kgosi Serogola Seretse, and the Tshimoyapula Kgosi amongst others, having a soft spot for the President, he was able to attract membership to the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) as he availed himself when they needed him. Tshimoyapula falls under the Serowe North constituency in the hands of the Botswana Patriotic Front's (BPF) Baratiwa Mathoothe. The ruling party's Puma Mathware and the BDP are purportedly going all out to win the constituency with President Masisi’s presence an added boost in the bid for votes. While the President has many engagements and kgotla meetings making it difficult for him to make frequent visits, Masisi made a special dispensation for Tshimoyapula having honoured the village twice with his presence in the last two months. Before the kgotla meeting last week, Masisi was in the village in mid-August where he handed over nine houses.
The Tshimoyapula Village Extension Team (VET) built eight houses for underprivileged community members. The ninth house was built by businessperson and philanthropist, Fankie Kokoro, of Kokoro Feedlot. Speaking at the kgotla meeting, Masisi said he had to ensure he made time to see residents in his busy schedule because he was impressed with what they had done with the houses. The President was accompanied by ministers, senior public servants, Kgosi Serogola, and CEOs amongst others. He would donate a bull, 1,000 fish, three bee colonies, six sheep, six goats, two pigs, and two ducks to the villagers. As if that were not enough, Masisi told the villagers that experts from the Ministry of Agriculture would be remaining in their village to assist them with making the best out of the donations. Masisi further announced that he would facilitate the formation of a trust for them to manage their natural resources which include caves and a pan.
Meanwhile, residents told Mmegi that Masisi’s BDP was making an impression. “As much as we love our Kgosikgolo, we cannot ignore what the BDP is doing here. Their merchandise is all over. They give us T-shirts for free while the BPF is hardly visible in the area. But it will be up to one at the polls who they decide to vote for,” one villager said. Those who are BDP members in the area are confident that they have convinced a lot of residents to follow them as they believe President Masisi is determined to wipe out the rampant poverty in the area. For the BPF, this is just a Masisi gimmick out of the BDP playbook and they believe with Khama’s return, they will win convincingly. “He came and wanted to act as a hero with houses that he found already built. Even with the donations, he was trying to confuse people into voting for him. But now, with the return of our patron, Ian Khama, it will take just one meeting with them to convince them that they should not vote for the BDP. We will also try harder to avail our merchandise and show that we are in the race to retain all the three Serowe constituencies and more,” BPF Central Region chairperson, Amigo Nthebolan, told Mmegi.