There is something amazing about the character of Cde Phagenyane Phage. In 2007 when there was a by-election in Mmopane ward, he surprised me when he left a ward he had earlier lost with a margin of 26 (Mogoditshane North) to go and contest a ward in which the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) had come a distant third in the past election. At first, many other comrades did not support his move.
But he went on to win the ward for the BCP. For a longtime Mmopane was considered a Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) stronghold.
Now, Cde Phage, the trend setter, will represent the BCP in the newly created Lentsweletau-Mmopane constituency in the next election. Many did not give him a chance. I want to say that with Cde Phage as its candidate, the BCP stands a greater chance to win this constituency.
Firstly, Lentsweletau village has for many years been a BCP stronghold together with Mmopane. The BCP won Lentsweletau ward in 1999 and 2004 respectively, and only lost it with a margin of 9 in 2009. The BCP also won Mmopane ward twice (2007 and 2009).
The significance of Lentsweletau and Mmopane in this constituency is that they are the two major villages in the constituency, and of course Kopong.
They boast of large populations. Already the two villages have four wards between them, which gives the Cde Phage and the BCP a head start. The BCP only needs to seal its presence in these two villages and ensure that it wins all the four wards within them. Then it will be home and dry. Victory will be certain.
It needs to be noted that the BCP has a potent presence in Kopong, where the Botswana National Front (BNF) is head to head with the BDP. If the party could put an extra effort here and offset the BDP strength, that would work to its advantage. If the BCP can’t win any ward in Kopong, it should at least lower the margins as much as possible. The BNF is only present in one ward of Kopong, and it is almost none existent in Mmopane and Lentsweletau.
There is also the ward of Medie, which admittedly, the BCP presence is quite remote. Here the battle can be left to the BDP and the BNF to slug it out.
The BCP will then focus more attention and resources on Hatsalatladi ward, which it should win at all costs this time around. This will then give the BCP at least five wards, putting it in a pole position to win Lentsweletau-Mmopane constituency.
It also needs to be noted that the BCP would also benefit from the BDP Bulela Ditswe fallouts. Though as a party we are not banking on the BDP or any other party’s misfortunes, there are already signs that the BCP will benefit in this regard, further bolstering its prospects of winning the constituency. It does not matter who wins the BDP primaries. Whether it is Vincent Seretse or Moeng Pheto, Phage is waiting for anyone to take them on.
Now, the party needs to avail the necessary support and resources to assist Cde Phage win the constituency. The constituency might not have been classified as one of the winnables, but the dynamics have now shifted. It has surely moved to the category of the winnable constituencies. I look forward to having Cde Phage as Hon Member of Parliament for Lentsweletau-Mmopane constituency in 2014 and beyond.
