SEROWE: From our interactions with some constituents in the streets of Serowe West constituency, they spoke highly of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) as a party that will run away with the prize at the impending by-election.

On the other hand some Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) diehards strongly believe that the President Mokgweetsi Masisi-led administration has the wherewithal to turn the tables and regain what it has lost in the 2019 General Election. Unless any other party could try its luck, the Serowe West by-election is likely to be a two-way horse race that pits the ruling BDP and its splinter party, the BPF.

It is apparent that in Serowe to some people lines are blurred between politics and bogosi (chieftainship), as the BPF is associated more with the Bangwato chieftainship. For the party that former president Ian Khama pioneered as the patron, it is linked directly with Bangwato royals.

Some villagers who are still bitter that the former president, who is also their chief is a victim of the President Masisi-led regime, take tension between incumbent President Masisi and former president Khama in Serowe as a big issue.

Khama has been in self-imposed exile in South Africa together with members of his family including his younger brother Tshekedi whose term as Serowe West legislator has been declared vacant after he absented himself from two sitting sessions of the National Assembly from November 2022 up to April 2023.

The decision to apply the law against Tshekedi, who has sought custody in South Africa from what he describes as ‘harassment’ by the country’s notorious spy agency, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS), seems to have heightened belief that the Khama family was subjected to State abuse. This is what the villagers believe they would definitely use against the ruling BDP to punish it for ‘terrorising’ the Khamas.

For instance, Mmakathu Mosweu (73) considers herself the daughter of Tshekedi just in reverence to her former MP whose term has been cut short for his absenteeism from the National Assembly.

Mosweu, who originates from Molepolole but married in Serowe, tells the Mmegi crew in her neighbourhood they are pro-BPF and there is no doubt that they are going to retain the BPF in Serowe West as they don’t have any other choice.

“This whole area of Palamaokue is pro-BPF. The BDP is just here and there. The majority of us are still loyal to Tshekedi,” declares Mosweu

who was now getting animated.

She describes herself as one of those people who sang and danced to former party strongman Daniel Kwelagobe in the country’s early days to independence whilst she was a loyal BDP operative.

Mosweu breaks into laughter and shouted the party slogan ‘Ke Nako’ with her fingers pointing in the direction of her wristwatch.

“Nna ke berekela mo nakong tota ebile ga ke ipotetse (I am a loyal BPF activist and I can’t hide it),” she said insisting that the BPF numbers in Serowe West and the other Serowe constituencies (Serowe West and South) really speak for themselves. She indicated that at Palamaokue they are people loyal to Seretse (Botswana’s first president, the late Sir Seretse Khama).

“Sekgwana se sotlhe re dule mo Domkrag re ile ko BPF (In this whole ward, we have all defected to the BPF),” further explained Mosweu. Their reason for leaving the BDP, she says is the sudden mix-up in the country that has resulted in Khama (Ian) and his family escaping to neighbouring South Africa.

Mosweu is worried that the Khamas are treated more like they are not Batswana.

“Where are they now?” she asked rhetorically, adding that the current regime has to pay dearly for its actions at the polls.

As people continue to canvass for votes especially doing door-to-door campaigns in their area, Mosweu warns other parties that at her gate it will be inscribed: “Fa, ke lefelo la BPF, ke mo nakong (This is the place of a

BPF loyalist…) Her voter’s card from the 2019 General Election is ready for the impending by-election, and so does her fellow party members who are ready to do battle.

Kedibolebale Oduetse is a youth from the Mannathoko ward and a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) loyalist within the Serowe West constituency. The 32-year-old unemployed bricklayer who is struggling to find jobs is adamant that the most popular party in Serowe is the BPF.

To him, if elections are called anytime, the BPF will emerge victorious. He feels the BPF victory will be a victory for the party and its candidate and then nothing will benefit the masses. To him, at least those closer to the Bangwato royal house will have every reason to celebrate.

His main worry is that for a long time, the youth in Serowe have been struggling to find jobs, which makes politics a bit uninspiring, as politicians do not seem interested in the plight of the masses.

“It will come as a surprise if the BDP could win this one. Odds seem really stacked against the ruling party in Serowe,” he highlighted.

Kugele Lesifi from Kgosing ward is worried that since people left her party, the BDP for the BPF in large numbers, she is even confused the more as to whom to really vote for. Her contention is that they always vote for people who never serve their interests.

She says some people just left the BDP following

Khama not knowing what kind of an animal the BPF is. “Look, we voted for Tshekedi Khama and he never served us and even the area councillor is not active enough and is not even consulting us. The MP just disappeared without a word and this has left a permanent scar in my heart,” complained the 47-year-old Lesifi who says people are now defecting from the BPF to the BDP out of frustration.

She has hope that the BDP has a chance of a comeback and might stage a surprise in the impending by-election.

Lesifi’s friend, Keneilwe Motshabi (37), does not have a political party but if it goes to a push, she might give her vote to the BDP. A graduate of the Palapye Technical College and currently jobless, Motshabi has a soft spot for the ruling party. Struggling with life as she is, she has decided to stay away from active politics and focus on something that will bring bread to her family table.

Bakang Mokalake did not register for the 2019 General Election and by his admission he wants a party that can be concerned with the creation of jobs, especially for the young people in rural areas of Serowe. He is from the neighbouring Serowe North constituency in the village of Paje. He is aware that the BPF is very strong across all the Serowe constituencies.

He cited a recent incident in which the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) officials this week Monday visited Paje looking for labourers to cut trees and he was shocked that for that menial job they were looking for Form 5 leavers.

“It’s a pity that some of us who haven’t been to school will remain jobless until we go to the grave. That’s the reason why it’s so hard not to trust politicians,” said Mokalake who cooks traditional food for a living just by the roadside at Paje.

Another youth, Thatayaone Barupi regrets that he has been taking politics for granted and did not register for the 2019 General Election. He is a beneficiary of the Youth Development Fund whereupon he has been granted cattle to rear in the rural Paje village just outside Serowe.

He finds himself born in a rural village with limited opportunities to make a living. He decried that the local shops in Paje are expensive. He rears cattle but selling them gives him and his peers a pittance despite the struggle of rearing the cattle. During this interview, Barupi decried that he was rushing to a police post in Paje to report the theft of solar panels from his borehole. He indicated that crime was rampant in Paje due mainly to the unemployment ravaging the village. He indicated that robbery, house and office breaking and stock theft are some of the common crimes in his village.