The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has delegated Member of Parliament for Gaborone North, Haskins Nkagiwa and that for Kanye South Abraham Kesupile to coordinate efforts aimed at dampening a potential tussle for mayoral and council chairmanship seats at the district council under UDC control. The Telegraph can confirm that in Gaborone City Council Kagiso Thutlwe of Village Ward wants the mayoral seat as does Sergeant “Yellowman” Kgosietsile. Rhoda Sekgororwane of Tlogatloga ward has also expressed interest. In the South East South District Council the UDC is still to caucus on who will take the chairmanship of the council.
Information that The Telegraph has shows that Youth League president Phenyo Segokgo is likely to take over as the chairman of the South East South council. UDC will have to form a coalition with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) to meet the 2/3 majority they need to lead the council.
The BCP’s Kgabo Mabotseng is tipped to deputise Segokgo. To calm the potential of a conflicts erupoting over who among the councillors assumes leadership roles in various councils the UDC appointed Nkagiwa and Kesupile to meet with councillors. Their mandate was to address the issue of who takes the mayoral seats and the kind of person the party expects to take such positions. Speaking to The Telegraph in an interview Nkagiwa said as the party leadership they were just giving a direction and advice on the kind of person expected to take the mayoral seats.
“The reason why we engaged our councillors was to give them direction, and to discuss with them what is expected from them at council level. We appreciate that Batswana have voted us with huge numbers. When they voted us they had confidence in us that we can lead them,” he said. He said as the party they are careful not to disappoint stakeholders that voted them hence the need to show leadership at their lower structures in this case council level. “When we went to the wards to meet our councillors we wanted to share a message with them to say we want to see them taking seriously the leadership of the council. We have advised that those who are appointed to the mayoral and chairman positions must be those with that credibility and ready to deliver,” he said. Nkagiwa said they are a party that takes itself seriously.
“We said to them that those who want such positions should understand the responsibilities tied to such positions because we take our leadership seriously and we take the people that voted us seriously,” he said. Asked to what extent the situation is likely to undermine peace and stability at UDC, Nkagiwa sreplied the situation was in control. “I wouldn’t say there is a situation. As the party we were showing leadership. As UDC we are a relatively a new party and as the leadership at the top we have a mandate to show that leadership at our lower structures,” he said.
