24 Apr 2023

Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) leader has urged the electorate in Mapoka to vote for the coalition in the council bye election planned for April 29.

The Mapoka/Nlapkhwane council seat fell vacant after the death of Councillor Farai Bonyongo February this year.

Addressing a rally to launch UDC council candidate, Mr Nabulani Lenyatso on Saturday, UDC leader, Advocate Duma Boko appealed to residents  to ensure the party win the seat it lost in the 2019 general elections.

“I implore you to vote for Mr Lenyatso because he is the only candidate who has your interests at heart,” stated Advocate Boko.

He said the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) failed to fulfil its promise and cited lack of employment especially among youth and shortage of drugs in health facilities as a sign that the BDP was not doing enough.

Should the UDC be voted into power during next year’s general elections, which Advocate Boko said was optimistic it would happen, it would come up with sound policies and programmes especially those that concerned health issues.

He said the UDC would transform the health sector and increase old age pension allowance to P1 500 in consideration that the cost of living was high, among other changes.

Advocate Boko said the BDP had not improved the living standard of Batswana, adding the living wage of the working class was very low compared to other countries.

Member of Parliament for Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane appealed to the electorate in Mapoka to work together with the party leadership in order to win the bye-election in large numbers.

He said UDC was the only alternative party to replace BDP which was marred with corruption allegations while UDC had good and sound policies and programmes.

For his part MP for Mahalapye West, Mr David Tshere told electorates that the BDP government appeared to be a symbol of democracy despite its undemocratic ways of doing things and implored UDC members to continue embarking on house to house campaign and recruit new members into the party.

BDP won the ward with 692 votes, followed by UDC with 356, Botswana Patriotic Front 176 and an independent candidate garnered 321 votes in the 2019 elections where 1 798 registered to vote and 1 545 took part in the process. ENDS