MAUN: Selibe-Phikwe West Member of Parliament and former leader of Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Gilson Saleshando, told a political rally in Maun this weekend that it would be shameful were Maun people to vote the incumbent MP for Maun West Tawana Moremi back to Parliament in the coming 2014 general elections.
Saleshando said Moremi has since his tenure as Member of Parliament failed his constituency.
He added that Moremi has nothing to show for his tenure as Member of Parliament.
Other than his continuous absenteeism in Maun West, Saleshando said he (Tawana) also has a disappearing act even in Parliament where he is supposed to help advocate for them, and that his contributions to the house have become so shallow and always lack a lot in content.
“In case you don’t know, you people have never been represented in Parliament and your grievances are not even known there. I am told there are some people in his campaign team who are trying hard to lure you into voting him back simply because he is chief. That would be very wrong of you, because to be precise, Parliament is not a place for chiefs. He belongs to the house of chiefs, if at all he is chief, and the house of chiefs is just a stone throw from Parliament. You need to question his credibility and see things in perspective. He cannot be trusted and should therefore be shown the door so as to pave way for more capable people who will have your interests at heart and give you the much needed respect other than being bigheaded and pompous at all times. I have attended kgotla meetings in this constituency, and as you might know, the issue of him being absent here has always taken centre stage at those meetings. As MP, he is duty bound to consult you from time to time before and after parliament sitting, but that is not the case with him. How then do you trust someone of that level? You need to wise up and make him see that his being chief does not bother you in anyway,” said Saleshando amid laughter from the crowd.
Saleshando also said that Moremi has developed a growing tendency of referring to the Bayei tribe, which is dominant in the district as “Makoba”, a derogatory name to mean they are a lesser group of people with no prominence and value.
Even in parliament, he said Tawana has proved that to him Bayei are non-existent, adding it is time they raise their eyebrows and reconsider.
He urged the gathering to emulate Bangwato and vote into power, people who can add significance to their lives, adding that the recent fall from grace of Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, also MP for Serowe North and his colleagues in cabinet should be taken as an example as it is enough proof that Batswana have came to a point where they are fed up with the current government and its system.
“We want change this time around, and I want to pledge here today that I will be a campaign manager in this constituency (Maun West) for┬á our desired MP and his batch of would-be councilors. Maun East is no threat and I am more convinced that we are well represented there. We want people to have a changed mindset, and so together with my comrades we are going to do house to house campaigns to ensure that we rid this constituency of these incompetent people who have failed to deliver over the years, that I take upon myself and I am going┬á to ensure that we do just that”, he said.
Meanwhile, BCP Publicity Secretary Taolo Lucas also said at the rally that Maun people and Batswana at large should take advantage of the discrepancies within the ruling BDP and vote for the BCP as it is the only party that is capable of changing their lives for the better. He said Batswana have for a long time been in the dark and have been deceived by the current government.
“The God we serve has a way of doing things. This is so because as you may be aware, things are starting to surface. First the BDP was split and we saw the formation of the BMD. The prodigal sons went with the flow and are now back with the party, and now we see one of them, the money machine, stepping out of the biggest post in the party. That, you need to question. This party is in turmoil, and members are so distressed. This is our time, and if we do not use it, tomorrow might be too late. Let us join hands and frustrate them even more because they have become so vulnerable and are an easy catch. Let us snatch all their constituencies and force them to keep their distance while they dance to our tune. It has now become so easy as you may be aware, and to you I say the time is now”.
