31 Jul 2022

Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), on Saturday, won Moselewapula Ward bye- election.

UDC’s Mr Gift Tebo amassed 339 votes beating Mr Oagile Wairi of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and Mr Ngwisiwa Ntogwa of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) who received 334 and 110 votes respectively.

Three votes were rejected while one was spoilt.

Speaking after announcement of results, Mr Tebo appreciated the support that led to his victory.

He said his aim was to work on ward development by ensuring job creation.

“I thank other candidates for accepting the result outcome,” he said, adding the elections went well although people did not vote in large numbers compared to the 2019 general elections.

In an interview, Mr Wairi said he accepted the results, but complained of delays that resulted in voters becoming impatient leading to disturbances.

Mr Wairi blamed some delays on the presiding officer, whom he alleged that he was not conversant with the electoral process.

“There was great deal of buying or paying electorates to cast votes in favour of some candidates,” he said

He requested that counting of ballots should be conducted at every polling station to avoid fighting by voters, convoy and motorcade driving at high speed to guard the ballot box to avoid any rigging along the way.

For his part, Mr Ntogwa said elections went well even though he suspected that opposition candidates used voters trafficked in 2019.

He also attributed his lose to limited resources.

He said the escalating prices of commodities and that of petrol affected his campaign. 

“We went house to house trying make people understand that prices of petrol were beyond our control,” he said, adding voters had difficulty in understanding this.

However, Mr Ntogwa said all was not lost as BDP would bounce back in the 2024 general elections.

Aafter announcing the results, returning officer, Ms Chabongwa Matseka acknowledged that although the process took long, no voter was turned back as they wanted everyone to participate in the bye election.

Moselewapula ward became vacant after the death of UDC councillor, Mr Reuben Ketlhoilwe in May 2022. Ends