No love lost in the F/town mayoral race
Patricia Edwin | Tuesday November 25, 2014 12:30
The FCC has 24 councillors with the BDP leading the pack with 18 councillors, and both Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) having three apiece. According to BDP insiders, councillors are already up in arms in their campaigns for the control of the Francistown City Council’s (FCC) political wing, which is headed by the mayor and the deputy.
Those close to the BDP politics in Francistown suggest that the campaigns for the seat of mayor and deputy mayor commenced immediately after the results of the October 24 general elections were announced.
Some of the people who are in the contest for the mayoral seat are nominated councillors James Kgalajwe, Zazambi Tuelo, Sylvia Muzila, elected councillors Lesego Kwambala of Itekeng Ward and Cornelius Gopolang of Kanana Ward.
Contacted for a comment relating to his interest in the mayoral seat, Kgalajwe, who previously was a mayor for two years, was not forthright in his response save to say, “ If councillors want me to continue where I had stopped in the last two years, I am available.”
But, it’s an open secret that Kgalajwe is in the race. Itekeng ward councillor Kwambala disclosed that he was available for election as a mayor and it will only depend on the decision of his party colleagues, as basically nominations and the elections will be held at a party caucus on November 29, making council elections a mere formality.
Kwambala previously served at the Local Government Ministry as a monitoring and evaluation officer in the office of the District Multi Sectoral Aids Committee (DMSAC). He would later serve at the National Alliance of State and Territorial Aids Director (NASTAD) as a district-strengthening officer. As for businessman Gopolang of Kanana ward, he was cagey with the details of whether he was interested in the mayorship or not. His indirect response was: “Basically, interested parties will submit their names to the party caucus on November 29.
“A decision will be taken there and I will only divulge my interest after the party caucus.”
As for Muzila, she could not be reached for comment yesterday, as she was not taking calls on her mobile phone. But, Tuelo confirmed his ambition yesterday to Mmegi. The most preferred person to lead the FCC within the BDP is Muzila because of her previous job as a DC and the gender card seems to be working well for her. Were she to clinch the coveted job, she would be the first female mayor to lead the FCC.
Mmegi understands that the list presented above, of interested people, is correct and reliable. Tuelo, a sidekick of Francistown West MP Ignatius Moswaane has the backing of his political father, who was previously the city mayor.
Moswaane is bound to do anything for Tuelo who previously assisted in the management of a discredited petition that saw President Ian Khama postponing the date of the by-election in Francistown-West.
Tuelo is the mastermind behind Moswaane’s success in the constituency.
As for the deputy mayoral seat, councillors Stitch Mudenga of Moselewapula Ward and Godisang Radisigo of Satellite South are currently the only two names touted as interested parties.
It’s a real fight and there is no love lost in this particular fight just like in the substantive mayoral position, a source said. When quizzed, BDP Francistown region chairman, Ford Moiteela tried to downplay the extent of the battle denying that daggers were not drawn.
Apparently, trying not to air his party’s dirty linen in public, Moiteela said that they had not heard of any battles among their members.
He said they were yet to receive the names of the people who are nominated as councillors in the FCC.
“We have not heard of any battles yet and I can tell you that we have not received names of nominated councillors here at party level. “I heard that the names have arrived at the city council,” said Moiteela.