20 Jun 2019

The Alliance for Progressives (AP) has unveiled, Mr Shaffi Pandor, as its new prospective parliamentary candidate for Lobatse constituency. 

Mr Walter Sebate pulled out of the contest due to business commitments. 

Speaking during a press conference in Lobatse on June 19, AP chairperson Major General Pius Mokgware urged Lobatse community to vote Mr Pandor as the area MP come elections.

Maj. Gen. Mokgware pointed out that AP was serious about putting the interests of Batswana first unlike other political parties that he said had put their politicians’ interests ahead of those of the nation. 

“The AP says Botswana first, but if you look at other parties, they put their interests first.

That is why you have parties having two candidates in the same constituency,” he said.

He said AP would address the issue of youth unemployment within the first three months of attaining power. 

Furthermore, the AP chairperson pointed out that they would vigorously tackle high levels of crime by increasing the number of police officers per duty areas.

He added that the party would expedite the allocation of residential and business plots. 

“That is a priority. AP wants every Motswana to have a residential plot because having a home improves a person’s dignity,” Maj. Gen. Mokgware said. 

AP secretary general Dr Phenyo Butale said Lobatse constituency had for a long time endured poor representation in parliament. 

Dr Butale said stalling of major projects in the town, such as the construction of the leather park, was a clear example of poor political representation.

“It is an example of what bad planning is, which we keep on hearing conflicting stories every day about whether its construction would begin or not. 

The project is another sign of bad funding which could be addressed if the constituency had a good MP,” he said.  

He also cited the Botswana Meat Commission as another badly managed state enterprise in the town which AP would address if voted in Lobatse. 

Mr Pandor promised that he would prioritize addressing poor sanitation in Lobatse if he won the elections. 

“There are seven towns in Botswana but Lobatse is at the bottom of them all. 

One of the worst situations is sanitation, it sits at 35.8 per cent of access to sanitation,” he explained.

Mr Sebate quashed rumours that he was joining the Botswana Democratic Party. 

He said pressing business commitments which had forced him to travel abroad regularly, had left him with little time to canvass for votes. ends