25 Aug 2014

The Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe has urged Chobe residents to vote for the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) prospective parliamentary candidate, Mr Machana Shamukuni  in the upcoming general elections. 



Speaking during the candidate’s launch in Kasane on August 23, Dr Kedikilwe said the construction of Kazungula bridge had been planned for, way before the current BCP legislator became an MP. Dr Kedikilwe said Mr Bahiti Temane and the late Mr Duncan Mlazie were the ones who should be glorified for the bridge since the plans took place during their times. 



“The idea of constructing the Kazungula bridge was long planned for as early as 1989, but there were delays as we had to sort out border issues with neighbouring countries,” he said. Eventually, he added that was sorted and Botswana reached an agreement to construct the bridge in partnership with the Zambian government.



Dr Kedikilwe said another delay was caused by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which had offered to fund Botswana for the project and there were disagreements over the tendering process and eventually JICA withdrew from the agreement.



That notwithstanding, the Vice President announced that Botswana would still go forth with the construction of the Kazungula bridge and ground breaking will be on September 12.

“If you vote for others therefore you might disturb the flow of these plans, so I urge you to vote for Mr Shamukuni,” he said.

 Dr Kedikilwe said opposition parties never informed electorates on the successful programmes that the government implemented as they did not want to be seen to be endorsing anything the BDP was doing.

“They cannot be seen to be doing that because all they want to do is oppose everything. They will never tell you about the Chobe Zambezi Agro commercial project which will be irrigating the Pandamatenga farms. They will never talk about the recently completed Nata-Kazungula road,  the Kasane airport expansion project or the proposed Kasane Kazungula facelifting project which is going to market the area competitively with improved infrastructure and a new face,” he said.



Dr Kedikilwe also recognised and acknowledged all those who lost in the BDP primaries and wished those who made it well. For his part, Mr Shamukuni urged voters to vote BDP so that they could continue enjoying the current government programs.

“You must pick a party that will not oppose these programs,” he said. 
  Ends