21 Oct 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has urged Lerala-Maunatlala constituents to vote for Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) parliamentary candidate Mr Sethabelo Modukanele and council candidates in the general elections slated for October 23.

Dr Masisi made the call during a BDP Star Rally in Lerala on Saturday where he told residents that the BDP worked as a team and in that regard they should vote for BDP parliamentary candidate and councilors.

He noted with concern reports that some BDP council candidates in the constituency were supporting an independent candidate and former area Member of Parliament who was suspended from the BDP.

He warned party members against defying the party’s principles, adding that they should support Mr Modukanele.

Further Dr Masisi cautioned voters that independent candidates do not belong to any party saying no MP worked in isolation.  

Dr Masisi also indicated that the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) manifesto was unrealistic and residents should not be enticed by such promises as providing tablets for learners, increasing the old pension to P1500, increasing student allowance to P2500 and introducing the minimum wage to P3000 among other pledges.

He said the government currently had a budget that was endorsed by both opposition and ruling party MPs.

The budget, he said was not enough to fulfill UDC’s promises.

He said currently the country was running at a deficit of close to P6 billion and if the UDC won, they would run the country deeper into debt.

He also mentioned that the UDC was currently being funded by organisations that had interests in the mineral resources of the country. He said if the UDC was voted into power such organisations would take over the mining sector and land in Botswana leaving Batswana in poverty.  

He said all they were interested in was to rake in income, adding that such organisations had left some countries debt ridden.   

Dr Masisi further also called on Batswana not vote for the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) because the party was formed  on the basis that the party’s patron was unhappy because he was denied authority to rule behind the scenes.

Also speaking at the rally, the former area MP, Mr Thebe Mogami urged residents to stand united and rally behind the BDP.

He said they should vote for party as candidates worked as a team to bring developments to the constituency.

He said no one or an independent candidate could single-handedly bring development to the area but rather a team or unit would be able to so.

He noted that the Tswapong region has always been a strong hold for the BDP, urging  residents to vote for the BDP to maintain its stand in the region to continue to uplift the livelihood of the people.

The former MP for Sefhare-Ramokgonami Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi also called on residents not to lose sight but to focus on the BDP.

He said that the BDP government had provided infrastructure developments such as roads and schools among others.

For his part Mr Modukanele said that he would support and work with all the area councilors as a team.

He said his party was ready to continue to serve the people of the constituency and bring developments in the area. ENDS