25 Aug 2019

Prospective parliamentary candidates for Kanye South on Friday crossed swords pledging themselves to voters for the coming general elections.

The prospective candidates are Dr Lemogang Kwape of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Mr Victor Phologolo of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and the Independent candidate, also the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Mr Abram Kesupile.

Dr Kwape, a public health specialist by training’ encouraged constituents to vote for his party because it has served the nation with distinction and honour thus far.Dr Kwape said poverty rate dropped from 49 per cent in the late 1990s to 16 while abject poverty stood at six per cent because his party continued to come up with innovative programmes.

Dr Kwape however admitted that challenges were still there such as water shortage, poor academic performance by schools and youth unemployment. 

He said the North-South water carrier pipeline, which was under construction, would address the water shortage concerns in the southern part of the country.

In addition, Dr Kwape said his party’s manifesto aimed to improve the quality of education and ensure what schools taught was in sync with the needs of the job market and economy.

On agriculture, Dr Kwape noted that his party would capacitate farmers with knowledge and infrastructure such as roads, reticulate electricity, Internet to farms and enable food producers to be the best in their ventures and ultimately create numerous opportunities along the value chain.

If voted into office, Dr Kwape pledged to work with the community to create job opportunities around Mmakgodumo Dam and nature sanctuary. 

He said he would advocate for the area to be fenced and have animals such as rhinoceros enclosed, with activities such as fishing, bird viewing, mountain climbing and boat cruising.

Dr Kwape also pledged to work with the community to derive maximum value from places of attraction with historical significance such as Pharing cave, Losabanyana, Kgwakgwe, the late Sir Ketumile Masire and Lady Olebile’s tombs, and the spot where Kgosi Makaba I died. 

For his part, Mr Phologolo, a lawyer by profession, argued that the challenges Batswana faced now needed fresh political minds in government.  He urged Batswana to vote his party into office because it pledged to address such issues as  unemployment, water shortage, increase old age pension and living wage, among others.

Mr Phologolo said job creation was high on their agenda because they had realised that many social ills such as crime, stemmed from the fact that many young people were unemployed, thus had ample idle time. 

However, he explained that the P3 000 minimum wage would be crafted into law and applicable only to those in the formal sector.

Mr Phologolo, who formerly worked for BOPEU as a legal advisor, pledged to continue advocating for the rights of workers and better conditions of service if voted into office.

In response, Mr Kesupile, an educator by training, retorted that the children’s parents appreciated donkey carts, adding that it was the only workable solution looking at the terrain.

Mr Kesupile said his track record spoke volumes for him in the constituency, noting that Tsonyane and Lobatse had been connected to the national power grid. He shared that Sebego Clinic would be upgraded, Sesung and Selokolela access roads tarmacked as a consequence of his representation.

He said most of the villages also had kgotla shelters with ample space to accommodate other government departments. He said he also advocated for Batswana who used to work for South African mines to be paid their dues and some had since benefited.

He also said schools’ academic performances in his area had improved in the last 10 years of his representation.

Mr Kesupile urged Batswana to vote him back into office to continue advocating for Ga-Mae Bridge to be constructed, Lotlhakane Clinic to operate for 24 hours a day and the tarring of Seherelela-Lehoko and Selokolela-Lorolwane gravel roads to stimulate the economy of the district. ENDS