As the battle for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primaries heats up, businessman and specially-elected councillor in the North East District Council (NEDC), Peter Chibuya Kuchwe, vows to topple party chairman Samson Moyo Guma in the Tati East constituency
Peter Chibuya Kuchwe recently received the nod to contest Botswana Democatic Party’s (BDP) primaries against incumbent Samson Moya Guma and another newcomer, Sean Samson Sebele.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Telegraph, he speaks adamantly that he will snatch the constituency from the incumbent. Guma, who deposed the late Chapson Butale in 2003 and thumped Thabani Machacha in 2008, is contesting in the constituency for the third consecutive time.
“As far as I am concerned, I will emerge victorious. I have already done the necessary ground work to win the hearts of the BDP electorates in the constituency. I am prepared to give my opponents a run for their money in the primaries,” said Kuchwe.
He is concerned that the rapid convention of ploughing fields to residential plots in villages in the hinterland of Francistown threatens to propel unemployment rates in those villages.
“Land is the biggest challenge in Tati East and the North East District in general. Ploughing fields are being acquired by the state for residential use at an alarming rate. The acquisition of ploughing fields and their convention to residential plots stands to impel unemployment rates in the villages,” said Kuchwe.
He suggests that to arrest possible escalating unemployment in those villages, it is imperative to build industrial hubs that will in turn create employment for those people who are being deprived of subsistence farming which is their only source of livelihood and income.
It is not only escalating unemployment that gives Kuchwe sleepless nights. The recurrence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the constituency and subsequent mass slaughter of livestock (cattle and small stock) to contain the spread of the disease to uninfected areas is another challenge he wants the government to tackle with utmost urgency.
His view is that since it is a fact that FMD outbreak in the constituency is a spillover from Zimbabwe where the disease is endemic, it would be prudent for government to create buffers in the form of gardens along the Ramokgwebana river which demarcates the two countries’ border.
“These should be communal gardens that are initially funded by government before they are handed over to the communities especially the unemployed youth. It will be the communities’ responsibility to look after the gardens and ensure that FMD carriers are not allowed to cross over into the gardens and spread the disease which has left many farmers and their families impoverished. Government will kill two birds with one stone if it goes in┬áthat direction because FMD will be contained while employment for the┬áunemployed youth will be created,” said Kuchwe.
To address the problem of unemployment in Tati East and other parts of the country, Kuchwe proposes that economic diversification units similar to the Selibe-Phikwe Economic Diversification Unit (SPEDU) should be established throughout the country.
He is of the opinion that since Tati East is endowed with a number of mines which face closure in the future, it would be prudent to create an economic diversification unit for the constituency in preparation for the aftermath of the closure of the mines.
“The economic diversification unit for Tati East should be created now rather than later. Any procrastination would be disastrous. It is best to have a proper vision and implement it now than wait until we are plagued with the situation. Forward planning is very necessary so that we don’t run helter-skelter when we are already faced with the problem. Other parts of the country have similar problems and the same approach to what is being done in Phikwe should be considered with a view to address future envisaged problems,” said Kuchwe who is convinced that with the establishment of┬ásuch units, the problem of unemployment will be alleviated in most parts of the country.
He said if he is elected to parliament, he will lobby for the establishment of a sub-district in Tati East especially in Tati Siding because currently people in the constituency travel long distances to Masunga to access government and other services.
“Services should be brought closer to the people. That is what responsible governments do. It should be our responsibility as government to ensure that services are brought closer to the people. Failure to do so would be suicidal in the long run. People from faraway places such as Patayamatebele and Ditladi travel long distances to Masunga to access services. They pass through other districts like Tonota Sub-district and Francistown District to access services. This is not right.┬áIt is a burning issue that needs to be addressed urgently. Creation of a sub-district in the constituency will also lessen the expenses that people currently incur going to Masunga,” said Kuchwe.
To further address the problem of unemployment, Kuchwe proposes the establishment of a North East Development Trust that will be tasked with a number of job creating projects. His view is that such a trust will help promote tourism in the district and engage in other activities that are income generating for the residents of the constituency.
The trust should be able to look for opportunities like establishment of a fishery at Dikgathong dam. “It will be the primary mandate of the trust in conjunction with the economic diversification unit to look for opportunities that have potential to sustain and uplift the entire the district. It is clear that government revenues continue to dwindle and as such every district should come up with projects that will relieve government the burden of doing everything including provision of┬áservices,” said Kuchwe.
His other proposal is the construction of a primary hospital in Tati East in a bid to decongest Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in Francistown. He is also concerned that the constituency does not have a senior secondary school to absorb children from the many junior secondary schools as they are forced to rely on Francistown and Tonota.
“As government is now upgrading some junior schools elsewhere, the same should be done in Tati East. One of the junior schools should be upgraded into an integrated secondary school,” said the political aspirant adding that he will fight for construction of junior secondary schools in Ditladi and Shashe Bridge.
Kuchwe said apart from advocating for the establishment of a sub-district in Tati East, he will also lobby government to establish a sub-land board for the constituency if elected to parliament. His view is that the establishment of a sub-land board in the constituency will help expedite allocation of residential, commercial and industrial plots.
While he agrees that government revenues are declining, he says it is imperative that civil servants are provided with comfortable accommodation in a bid to enhance productivity which is a serious issue of concern.
Guma’s strength is as a political stalwart┬áand incumbent constituency representative. However, Kuchwe said Guma is not as strong as he used to be and his earlier defection to the Botswana Movement for Democracy has dealt him a serious blow in the constituency.
“Guma has not delivered on his promises. People are angry that their cattle were killed instead of being vaccinated. Guma should have fought tooth and nail to ensure that the cattle were not killed and instead vaccinated,” said Kuchwe adding that government’s decision to kill the cattle instead of vaccinating them has impoverished a lot of people in the Tati East constituency whose only source of survival was cattle farming.
The other thing that Kuchwe promises to lobby for once in parliament is a holistic review of the constitution which in his view has been overtaken by events. “There is need for tribal equality. There is need for preservation of all the languages some of which are facing extinction because they are not being taught in schools. All the languages must be used in the national radio and television especially that our country does not have a lot of indigenous languages,” said Kuchwe.
He said if funds permit, government should in the future consider political funding as it will help level the political playing field.
“Currently I don’t think it will be viable because we are still struggling to balance the budget. But if the economic situation improves, this should be a priority consideration,” said the parliamentary aspirant.
On a parting shot, Kuchwe said there is need for government to seriously consider legislation on citizen economic empowerment.
“There is no point in priding ourselves with rich foreigners when our own people are wallowing in abject poverty. Deliberate action should be taken to empower citizens. It is dangerous to allow citizens to be beggars in their own country because once they vent out their anger, they will target the foreigners and that will tarnish our international image,” he said.
