“The time for change is now,” Boko thunders as he opened the conversation just in the corridors of the Gaborone High Court. He led a brigade of royal blue-kitted loyalists who had come to witness him being nominated alongside other party leaders as presidential nominees. He is steadfast that his party is the vanguard of the requisite change of the people’s fortunes for the better.
When quizzed as to what difference his party is bringing into the 2024 General Election, Boko, the clean freak, giggles before suppressing his laughter and quickly making a frowned face and responded: “As the UDC, we spread the message of uplifting people from abject poverty that is bedevilling many people and other societal ills under the government of the BDP.”
He was also quick to indicate that the UDC spreads the message of hope to the hopeless. The UDC according to its leader, speaks against the poor living conditions and the prevailing atmosphere of general lack afflicting many. When the message of hope reaches the afflicted, Boko says those facing the dire conditions of need, will be shaken by the party’s message of hope so that they can make proper decisions, which he believes in this year’s polls will be most different compared to other cycles of elections.
“People are able to see that there is nothing more left of their country. The ruling elite has taken away what remained of our economy and converted it to their personal gains. And it’s now the poor electorate who have gone even more poorer when they are the ones who are decision-makers through their votes,” he declares.
Boko’s view is that the situation is not getting any better, but rather worsening by the day. His advice to the electorate is that the leaders can speak and make their promises, but the voters should know the strength they have in terms of choosing MPs and the government of their choice.
“Yes, I see the voters not wasting their votes on the BDP this time around as their lives have been stagnant and interestingly, we now see a changed voter who is now aggressively dying to foster changes for the better,” Boko states.
This time around, Boko chose not to contest for a parliamentary seat, which means he is available to support all the constituencies. He is, therefore, able to access all the areas where the UDC is contesting.
He has been able to traverse the length and breadth of the country selling the UDC to the people, which he says is a sellable product for the 2024 polls. ‘When the country goes to the polls, I would have covered almost the whole ground. I don’t think there will be any more space that I would have not covered come October 30, as there is nothing holding me back,” he says acknowledging that the use of a helicopter has enhanced his ability to access all the party areas. To him not standing for a parliamentary seat is exactly what the leader of a political party has to do for his party and move across all the constituencies rather than being confined just to a single constituency of his/her interest.
Boko is confident that as they canvass for votes, his party is well accepted at the highest level. He oozes confidence that people are tired and heavy-laden and now they are thirsty to witness a change of power.
He is convinced this is what the people are exhibiting and promising them wherever they have covered the ground. “It’s showing that people now want to be seen openly associating with the UDC as an alternative.
This is a sign that people are not happy with the BDP anymore,” he says indicating that the UDC’s other message is directed to the pro-BDP activists.
“That their party, which they have been believing in and kept in power for so long, and what it believes in, now it has turned its back against them and what the party has long promised to stand for,” he tells Mmegionline. He adds: “Now, because these BDP diehards dearly love their country, Botswana, I encourage them to feel pity for their failing party by removing it from power so that it can go and reform itself so that upon its return it could return to its traditional beliefs that they trusted it for.”
He encouraged the BDP diehards who are disillusioned with their party leadership to associate themselves with the UDC through their votes. He appealed to them not to quit the BDP but come polling day, the UDC should be their party of choice, “and that is the party that I lead, so that their country can change for the better.”
