09 Oct 2024

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) leader, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, says the party’s track record of developments has put it miles ahead of all political parties contending to govern the country after the  October 30 general elections.

Addressing voters at the launch of Moshupa/Manyana parliamentary candidate, Mr Karabo Gare in Moshupa on Tuesday, President Masisi said in addition to what the BDP-led government had achieved since independence, inroads were made to address several challenges that have been outstanding for decades.

Citing access to land as one thorny issue that Batswana had grappled with for a long time, he said government continued to make progress in efforts to address the problem.

He said in addition to expediting land allocation across the country, government had also bought land belonging to Tati Company in the North East region to further enhance the accessibility of land.

“We are now in the process of buying land in those places where privately-owned farms stretch right into the borderline.This is necessary so that we have access to our borderline,” he said, noting that such access would allow for patrols to be conducted along Botswana’s entire borderline, thereby helping guarantee the country’s sovereign integrity.

Dr Masisi further reassured that the BCL Mine would be re-opened, saying the discovery of deposits of cobalt, platinum and palladium along with those of copper and nickel, which were mined prior to the mine’s closure, had emboldened efforts to re-open the mine.

He said the discovery of cobalt, platinum and palladium was a game-changer as the minerals were highly sought after the world over.

Another win for Batswana under BDP rule was the introduction of free electricity connection to households, he said, and added that the dispensation would be extended to citizen-owned companies in the course of time.

Dr Masisi said the planned move was in line with Vision 2036’s core objective of building an inclusive economy, which leaves no one behind.

President Masisi therefore appealed to the Moshupa/Manyana electorate to vote for Mr Gare, saying sending him, together with 60 other BDP parliamentary candidates to parliament would afford the party another five-year opportunity to further advance Batswana’s interests.

He said Mr Gare was a devoted and hardworking leader who would be very instrumental to the party’s successful discharge of its mandate once it had assumed state power.

He cautioned the candidate and the 15 council aspirants that once voted into office, they should put the interests of the people above their own.

In the same vein, he implored the constituency residents to guard against the propensity to abuse their political representatives by expecting them to always be at hand to assist with personal matters such as funerals.

South West region chairperson, Mr Oabile Regoeng, similarly appealed to the people of Moshupa/Manyana to vote for Mr Gare.

He said further to the candidate being a good and hardworking leader, his party was also the only one that could secure Batswana a good future.

Mr Regoeng said the BDP was committed to the maintenance of peace and stability as well as to ensuring that every Motswana led a dignified life.

Mr Tumiso Rakgare, the party’s candidate for Mogoditshane West, called upon the voters to silence the BDP’s detractors by voting for Mr Gare, describing him as a worthy leader.

Mr Rakgare said the opposition was unfit to govern due to its fragmentation, while the BDP was solid and presented a united front.

BDP activist, Mr Lemogang Ntime also presented Mr Gare as the most suitable candidate for the constituency.

He said Mr Gare was committed to the development of his constituency and would continue to push for its advancement if re-elected.

Affirming their acceptance of the mandate to represent the party, Mr Gare said he would, together with his councillors, serve the constituency with dedication.

He said he would personally strive to inculcate in the constituency the spirit of entrepreneurship, saying its entrenchment in the people of Moshupa/Manyana would change the economic landscape of the area. ENDS