07 Oct 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi says the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has gone back to the cross roads after careful consideration of past mistakes.

He said this on October 6, when introducing the BDP parliamentary candidate for Tlokweng constituency, Mr Thulaganyo Segokgo and nine council candidates to the electorate.

Dr Masisi, who is also BDP president, appealed to Batlokwa to vote for his party in large numbers, bearing in mind that the constituency had been under the opposition for quite a long time.

He said under his administration, the party had gone back to its culture and traditions anchored on unity, consultation, respect and development, which are values that the party was known for in the past.  

This he said was made possible after it took a deliberate stance to allow itself to learn from previous mistakes.  

With a new broom in place, he said the party and its leadership could be trusted and be given a chance to lead the country once more.

President Masisi emphasised that the BDP had vast experience in running the country, an important component that distinguished it from the rest.  

He said the BDP promises, as outlined in the party manifesto, are in line with the 2036 National Vision.

He further stated that his vision of economic inclusivity as well as his international visits were starting to bear fruit, revealing that in December, about 500 youth would graduate in fibre network connectivity with the help of businessman Strive Masiyiwa at no cost to government.

He said the graduates were expected to contribute to the country’s digital economy.

Another issue was the uplifting of the hunting suspension, which he said was done after thorough consultation with the public, while public service conditions of service such as inclusion of some in the essential services category as well as salaries were also addressed through consultation.

The president said his government was continuing with efforts to address corruption and other issues of concern and once again promised that his government would create sustainable jobs through a knowledge-based economy, should he get a fresh mandate to lead the country on October 23.

Meanwhile, Dr Masisi said Mr Segokgo was a mathematician par excellence and an ICT expert, a calibre needed to help run the government.

Former president, Mr Festus Mogae urged voters to consider voting for the BDP in large numbers because Batlokwa were among the founders of BDP and the country.  

He said both Mr Segokgo and President Masisi were sons of former BDP founders and cabinet ministers.  

In a nutshell, he appealed to Batlokwa to retrace their steps to their home, which is the BDP.

For his part, Mr Segokgo said the land question was topical in the constituency, acknowledging however that the President could not solve it without the involvement of magosi and Batlokwa.  

He thus assured Batlokwa that if voted to Parliament, he would  address land issue as well as shortage of water and internal roads infrastructure in the constituency, among others.

Mr Segokgo is competing for the parliamentary seat with Alliance for Progressives’s Mr Christopher Bogatsu and Umbrella for Democratic Change’s Mr Masego Segokgo.  ENDS