House -To-House Campaigns Take Centre Stage In Tlokweng
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday April 10, 2017 13:53
Following the issuance of the by-election writ, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) want to be at the forefront and engage in vigorous campaigns to win the constituency.
The by-election, called following the death of area MP, Same Bathobakae last December, is set for May 13.
“We have suspended our Saturday rallies to focus on house-to-house campaigns. The thing is, most people on the voter’s roll are traceable on Saturdays than during the week.
We have realised some residents of Tlokweng are working and therefore we can’t easily visit their homes to ask for their vote during the week because some come home late from work.
The secret of winning election is on the voter’s roll,” UDC campaign manager Kagiso Tshekega said in an interview.
Also, Tshekega said they have also realized that some people have lost their voting cards.
“We do take those who have lost their voting cards to District Commissioner’s office for them to get duplications.
Another challenge is that some people who used to rent in Tlokweng have moved to other locations or found a job in another area.
We have managed to trace some not all of them,” he said.
BDP secretary general, Botsalo Ntuane, shared the same sentiments as Tshekega, stating that lot of work is on house-to-house where they are able to convince voters.
“Of course rallies are done to show residents that the party is alive, but most people who come to rallies are visitors not residents of the area.
We are able to meet residents on house to house. It helps a party to assess whether things are going well for them or not. Residents can openly tell whether they support the candidate or not,” Ntuane said.
The ruling party’s campaign manager, Motshwaraganyi Sefanyetso, said the BDP would start holding rallies after they are satisfied that they have covered the whole constituency in house-to-house campaigns.
“Again we have to check that we have done our ground work properly before we start rallies. We are going to hold rallies, but we can’t tell when there will start. Our focus is on the people to request for their vote. We want to win this constituency,” Sefanyetso said.
Meanwhile UDC will on April 30 launch its parliamentary candidate, Masego Segokgo.
He will be launched by four presidents of alliance opposition parties, being Motlatsi Molapise of the Botswana Peoples Party, Dumelang Saleshando of the Botswana Congress Party, Ndaba Gaolathe of the Botswana Movement for Democracy and the UDC and Botswana National Front leader, Duma Boko.
Other speakers will include Margaret Nasha, Kgosikwena Sebele and Johnson Motshwarakgole.