03 Sep 2024

As the race for the 13^th Parliament heats up, prospective candidates are actively marketing themselves and their parties to voters, presenting themselves as the best options for the job.

The candidates for Letlhakeng constituency, formerly known as Letlhakeng/Lephephe constituency, took to Radio Botswana on August 30 to showcase their platforms.

The candidates include Ms Gaone Kgapoetsile of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), Brigadier Domcasa Mokgwathi of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Mr Meshack Tshenyego of the Botswana Congress Party (BPC), Liakat Kablay of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), and Independent candidate Ms Letlhogonolo Ntlhaga.

Reaching out to potential voters, Ms Kgapoetsile emphasised her dedication to health care.

If elected, she promises to address patient congestion at the Letlhakeng Clinic and its maternity wing, as well as tackle the shortage of ambulances in the constituency.

Her agenda includes advocating for the establishment of elderly homes to ensure that senior citizens receive proper care and decent medical facilities.

Ms Kgapoetsile also highlighted the urgent need to improve road conditions, expressing that enhanced infrastructure would boost tourism, attract investment, and create sustainable job opportunities.

In addition to health care and infrastructure, she aims to improve education by enhancing educational infrastructure and promoting non-formal education. She also plans to address women’s issues, specifically focusing on violence and abuse.

The Independent candidate Ms. Ntlhaga reiterated the pressing concern of inadequate health facilities in Letlhakeng, attributing the situation to a lack of resources. T

o remedy this, she proposed creating an environment conducive to private hospital investment, ensuring government hospitals make referrals to these private entities, thus allowing constituents to access quality medical care without lengthy travel.

Ms Ntlhaga also plans to tackle poverty and the lack of sustainable job opportunities within the constituency.

For Brigadier Domcasa Mokgwathi of the UDC, he outlined his vision for the constituency, stating that if elected, he would prioritise improving road infrastructure, especially to newly allocated plots and production areas. He also suggested a cost-saving measure of eliminating some parastatals to redirect funds toward road development.

Mokgwathi pledged to ensure that residents have access to affordable and potable water, which he believes is essential for a healthy life.

He emphasized the need for farmers to be allocated land for livestock feed and advocated for farmers’ associations to actively participate in the agricultural sector, including influencing commodity pricing.

Focusing on education, Mokgwathi stated he would promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education to bolster the country’s economy, while also ensuring that educational standards remain high and accessible for all, with infrastructure improvements that cater to students from rural areas and those with disabilities.

Mr Tshenyego of the BCP blamed the BDP for making empty promises to voters and he called upon the voters to deny the BDP a vote, saying Mr Kablay is old and needs to rest. He promised to turn the empty promise of building a primary hospital in Letlhakeng into a reality if voted in the coming general elections.

He pledged to deal with acute shortage of ambulances, nurses and doctors in the region.

He said he would ensure that the deteriorating education infrastructure is refurbished and call for the abolishment of double shifts at Mphuthe Junior Secondary School, saying it affects the quality of education.

He also said he would advocate for one more junior secondary school in Letlhakeng to deal with the congestion of students and construction of a primary school at Ngware settlement.

Mr Tshenyego said we would push for connection of water in the newly allocated plots and ensure that there is adequate water supply.

He said the under the BCP led government, over 300 000 jobs would be created and the constitution would be amended to allow direct election of president.

Mr Kablay of BDP said his track record proves that he deserves to be reelected again, saying he delivered developmental infrastructure as per his promises during the previous elections.

“When the Letlhakeng/Lephephe constituency was unbundled, for Letlhakeng to become a standalone constituency, Lephephe residents wondered if the void I left there would be filled,” he stated.

He said construction of roads, electrification and connection of water are some of his achievements and he guaranteed to deliver more to his constituents.

He said he advocated for the construction of a primary hospital of over 70 beds in Letlhakeng and is already funded and added that the construction Letlhakeng-Kaudwane road is also funded.

Mr Kablay said Government has allocated the Ministry of Health more funds in order to procure ambulances.

He said voters should know that development is a process and there are competing priorities.

Mr Kablay is confident that the BDP government’s programmes like Chema Chema, Temo Letlotlo and Thuo Letloto would go a long way in helping Batswana. Ends