16 Jul 2014

Leader of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Mr Duma Boko has implored residents of Selebi Phikwe to vote for his party in this year's general elections.

Speaking at the launch of the Selebi Phikwe West parliamentary candidate, Mr Moeti Mohwasa and council candidates, Mr Boko said it was about time to change the government and the UDC was the only party that could handle the affairs of the nation.

He said the UDC would stand up for the rights of civil servants to get a decent salary noting that their pay was too low to cushion the high cost of living.

Mr Boko went on to denounce the Botswana Congress Party’s (BCP) move to stand alone and not unite with opposition organisations under the UDC. He said there was no difference between the BCP and the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in that their manifestos were a replica.

For instance, he said the BCP was calling for a land audit while the BDP was already in the process of conducting a land audit.

“There is no need for a land audit in that land authorities should be having a data base indicating the number of plots allocated to people, their registration number and who the plots belong to,” he said noting that the land audit idea was a waste of time and money.

Mr Boko indicated that as the UDC, their focus on land issues was to look at problems encountered when issuing land and how to improve it instead of doing an audit. He said land audit would not help those who did not have land or were still waiting to be given land.

He urged residents of Selebi Phikwe to vote for his party because they had long been advocating to better the lives of residents especially those working at the BCL Mine which was the largest employer in Selebi Phikwe .

He said accommodation for BCL miners was deplorable.“We as UDC are going change this situation and call for increment of minimum salaries of miners from P1400,” he said.

For his part, Tonota South MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi told residents that Mr Mohwasa lived his whole life in the mining town and knew the people of Selebi Phikwe and what their needs were therefore the rightful candidate.

Mr Moatlhodi noted that the unemployment rate especially among the youth was high, adding that Selebi Phikwe was left behind in development. He said councillors under the Selebi Phikwe Town Council were to blame for not doing their job. 

“All they have been doing is fighting each other and changing mayors without considering issues of development and that is why the mining town is left behind in developments,” he said.

He urged residents of Selebi Phikwe to vote for UDC councilors instead of BCP and BDP councilors who have been in control of council for the past years.

For his part Mr Mohwasa indicated that he and his council candidates were ready to take on other parties and represent Selebi Phikwe West in parliament.

He said he would strive to bring developments to Selebi Phikwe and uplift the lives of residents.

Mr Mohwasa representing the UDC will be up against Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse of BCP and Mr Opelo Makhandela of the BDP. ENDS