SHASHE BRIDGE: Followingthe decision by the delimitationcommission totransfer Ditladi and Shashe Bridgevillages to Tati-East constituency,the Member of Parliament SamsonGuma Moyo has promised the constituentsto be their messiah.Situated east and west of Tonotavillage respectively, Ditladi/ShasheBridge ward has been in Tati-Westconstituency, and is currently representedby MP Mbiganyi CharlesTibone. However after the delimitationcommission reviewed theconstituency and wards boundariesthe ward was transferred to Tati-East.
Last week, Moyo introducedhimself to his new constituentswho accused Tibone of abandoningthem. The constituents labeled Tibonea failure who only resurfacesduring the election year.The aggrieved constituents lamentedthat even during hard timeswhen their cattle were killed dueto Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)they hardly saw their MP. Furtherthey blamed Tibone for their undevelopedarea. Moyo took advantageof the grievances raised byconstituents and promised that hewill represent them well if giventhe opportunity. Though the residentsbayed for Tibone’s blood,Moyo rescued him saying theyshould forget about the past andfocus on the future. “I am here tosolve your problems, and to representyou. Today I am only welcomingyou to my constituency, verysoon I will meet the teachers andother government employees basedin these two villages to also notetheir challenges,” Moyo told constituents.
Moyo emphasized that asthe Chairman of the ruling BotswanaDemocratic Party (BDP) ,hewill do whatever it takes to solvethe problems of the ward. Further,he told the constituents that shouldhe fail to do what he promised theyshould not vote for him in 2014.“Politicians are judged by performanceso if I fail to perform do notbother yourself to vote for me,”said the Tati- East MP. To the delightof constituents, Moyo askedthe village social workers to identifytwo underprivileged people forwhom he pledged to build houses.“There is nothing painful like beingpoor so that is why I do not want tosee someone struggling to make aliving,” he said.Though Moyo’s promises werewelcomed by ululations, others residentscautioned him not to makeempty promises.
“Most of ourMP’s made these promises whenthey wanted our votes but theynever did what they promised, sowe do not know whether you willdo the same” said one of the residents,Paul Kgaje. Another residentChristina Tshosa told Moyo thatever since President Khama tookthe presidential seat he has neverstepped in their village and the onlyfavour they want is to bring him sothat he can also give them blankets.“We also want to see the Presidentjust like any other Batswana so webeg you to bring him here,” saidTshosa. In response Moyo told theconstituents that since he worksclosely with the President he willask him to visit the two villages orsend the blankets they want.