17 Aug 2014

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, also Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) leader, has urged Nata/Gweta constituency electorates to vote for his party in the October 24 general elections.

Addressing a star rally in Gweta on August 14, President Khama told voters that they would continue to enjoy benefits of keeping the BDP in power as the party, he said, continued to place the nation’s interests above everything else.

The three prospective candidates vying for the Nata/Gweta constituency are BDP’s Mr Polson Majaga, Dr Ditiro Majadibodu of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and independent contender, Mr Joe Linga 

President Khama told constituents that they should not be confused by those who did not have a traceable record like the BDP. He indicated that the BDP had a record which everybody recognised and continued to put in place measures aimed at improving the livelihoods of Batswana. 

He pointed out that his party had introduced policies aimed at taking Batswana out of poverty as well as programmes that catered for all generations. 

Furthermore, President Khama told the meeting that remuneration for Ipelegeng, Village Development Committees (VDCs) and old age allowances as well as the public service will be increased to meet the high inflation rates owing to indication of the improving economy from the 2008 economic downturn. 

In other issues, President Khama said negative reports about the BDP from certain media houses, including radio stations, which he said supported the opposition, was only aimed at sabotaging and discouraging people from voting for his party. 

He argued that freedom of speech and press should not give people the right to write unfounded stories.  Also, President Khama indicated that the BDP has been in power for a number of years because people felt safe while the party had proved its direction and taken to the polls peacefully to defeat their opponents over the years. 

“Do not get confused by the unfounded stories, remain true to the party with clear mandates aimed at improving your lives not to cause problems in the country,” he stressed. 

The BDP national campaign manager, Mr Alec Seametso appealed to democrats to remain true to their party. Mr Seametso, however blamed democrats whom he said allowed people to take a swipe at their party as they believed unfounded stories aimed at disgracing the BDP. 

He also encouraged them to unanimously protect their clean image which they have preserved over the years so that they did not claim to have been cheated after they had lost elections. 

Further, he advised them not to let their differences divide them, something he said would give room to their opponents to beat them. “Differences will always be there but we should at all times resolve them amicably as democrats,” he said.

He also emphasised that the Nata/Gweta constituency had been one of the BDP stronghold thus the need to keep it. Ends