25 Aug 2014

Botswana Congress Party (BCP) leader, Mr Dumelang Saleshando says the party's parliamentary candidate for Mogoditshane constituency has demonstrated leadership qualities and is capable to represent people of Mogoditshane.

Speaking at the launch of BCP prospective candidates for Mogoditshane on August 24, Mr Saleshando said Mr Tumiso Rakgare had been tried and tested, for instance, when he lost his job due to his involvement in politics.

"That alone proves that he is indeed a true leader," said Mr Saleshando. He also said Mr Rakgare had a proven track record of leadership in different spheres of influence. He went on to stress that his party had resolved to allow young people and women to stand for elections in both parliamentary and council candidacy for this year’s general elections.

Such a move, he said, showed that BCP was a party for today and for tomorrow. Mr Saleshando highlighted that they were going for the general elections with the country facing many challenges that needed to be addressed.

He mentioned poor results in schools, poor health care and high levels of corruption and diminishing state of democracy being some of the burning issues that the country was facing.

He said if voted into power, the BCP was going to prioritise areas such as education to benefit all and establish public pre-schools because other countries such as South Africa and Mauritius had demonstrated that such a model was practical. They would make sure that the student teacher ratio was reduced as under the current government one teacher taught more than 40 pupils.

Furthermore, he said they were going to stop the minimum wage and introduce a living wage as well as a pension law for all workers if voted into power. Former BCP leader, Mr Michael Dingake said his party was determined to topple the ruling Botswana Democratic Party and win the elections.

He said it was alleged that the BDP was going to rig elections and cautioned voters that they should not be demoralised. Another speaker, Ms Nono Kgafela said BCP was ready to lead and that Mr Rakgare had stamina to represent people of Mogoditshane as he was youthful.

She reiterated that BCP was the only party that put Motswana first hence was the party of choice. Kweneng region chairman and also Mmopane-Lentsweletau prospective candidate Mr Phagenyana Phage informed the constituents that there was no tribalism in Mogoditshane as some politicians speculated.

Therefore he noted that all previous MPs that had represented the constituency originated from different places an indication that the constituents did not vote on tribal lines. 

MP for Mochudi East, Mr Isaac Mabiletsa dismissed claims that his party had boycotted opposition unity talks saying the allegations were untrue. He instead said BCP had managed to successfully unite with six other opposition parties among them MELS, NDF, BAM and SDF.

For his part Mr Rakgare and his council candidates accepted to represent the people of Mogoditshane at both parliament and council. Mr Rakgare said if voted to Parliament under the land issue, he would advocate for servicing of land prior to allocation and push for allocation of old applications.

He told constituents that he will also advocate for programmes that are youth friendly to address the issue of high unemployment in Mogoditshane. Moreover, he promised to influence development of internal roads in the constituency. Ends