06 Oct 2014

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama says despite the negative reports about him and the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) by the media and opposition parties, his party is still growing stronger and stronger.

He said this could be proven by the fact that the BDP was continuing to welcome and register new members from opposition parties.

President Khama was addressing star rallies in the Selebi Phikwe East and West constituencies on October 3 where he also called on residents of the mining town to vote for the party’s parliamentary candidates Mr Nonofho Molefhi in the Selebi Phikwe East Constituency and Mr Opelo Makhandela in the Selebi Phikwe West constituency.

He also told residents of both constituencies to vote for the party council candidates in both constituencies noting that he could not work alone to run the affairs of this country, but needed councillors, members of parliament and cabinet ministers to take this country to another level.

President Khama said the BDP was the only party that had potential to manage this country due to its experience. He said a positive track record showed how his government had been running the country.

He also mentioned that though opposition parties always stated that there were no jobs in Selebi Phikwe and tended to call for increment of remuneration for BCL Mine workers, they should understand that government had done its best to save the BCL Mine from closure.

He said initial reports noted that the BCL Mine was going to close and Selibe Phikwe was going to turn into a ghost town, but the government stepped in and injected funds in the mine to keep it afloat so that Batswana do not lose their jobs.

He said from 1992 up to 2002 the government had been injecting P30 million in the BCL Mine project and in 2002, P400 million was injected. He said government then took over BCL Mine as the major shareholder to keep the mine operational though the mine was running at a loss due to the soaring copper nickel market prices.

This, he said, was to save jobs for locals instead of closing the mine, though opposition parties were saying that the BDP government failed in creating jobs for locals. He went on to state that plans were underway to convert Selebi Phikwe into an industrial hub in the east of the country.

He said the BCL Mine has introduced the Polaris II initiative to extend the lifespan of the mine and also create downstream beneficiation projects such as the Pula Steel Company currently under construction.

He said more projects are still due to take place under the BCL Mine Polaris II Project.

All this, he said, was to create employment and business opportunities for Batswana, despite what opposition parties say.

He also noted that government introduced SPEDU to steer the economic diversification drive mandate in the region.

He said through SPEDU agriculture and tourism projects among others will be established in the region to create employment for residents and Batswana as whole.

“We are aiming to improve the economy of the region and country as a whole through such initiatives,” he said.

President Khama also rebuked negative statements by the media and opposition parties that he travels around the country on his walk about greeting Batswana and wasting money donating blankets, food and other items to Batswana.

He said the move is aimed at helping the less privileged and there was nothing wrong with that.

He also mentioned that the walkabouts visiting people at their homes and greeting them is meant to have first-hand information on how Batswana are living, their concerns and how to improve their lives.

“I am the President of the people and not an office president, that is why I go out and around meeting people and talking to them about their lives,” he said.

President Khama went on to describe Mr Molefhi as a responsible person who is a hard worker with principles of Botho instilled in him. He urged residents of Selebi Phikwe East to vote for him and council candidates. He also urged those in the Selebi Phikwe west constituency to have faith in

Mr Makhandlela and his councillors to bring developments to the area. He urged them to win back the constituency from the Botswana Congress Party. Ends