The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has noted the results of the Moselewapula bye-election and would like to thank the voters for continuing to show confidence in what it offers.
We would also like to thank the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) for its continued and principled commitment to the by-elections MOU that was entered into by and between itself, the AP and the UDC. To the UDC foot soldiers, the leadership collective would like to commend you for your consistent and dependable sacrifices under very difficult and trying circumstances.
Assess and decide
The BDP and the BCP/AP alliance also deserve to be praised for the hard work they put into this bye-election. This provided the voters with an opportunity to assess and decide on the offerings of each of the major political players in the country.
In the 2014 general elections, the BDP got 663 votes, the BCP 379, the UDC 142 and an Independent 120. A bye-election followed in 2018 where the UDC (represented by the BCP, who had just entered into an MOU with it) got 317 votes, the BDP 285 and the AP 139. In the 2019 general elections, the UDC, still represented by the BCP (which is now a full member) won the ward again, attaining 579 votes with the BDP, AP and BPF getting 550, 196 and 43 votes respectively.
Better life
In this bye election, though a full member of the UDC and expected to represent it, the BCP chose not to and instead contested independently and used its own symbol, assisted by the AP. The BPP, another UDC member, had to step in at the last minute to ensure that the UDC, the people’s project, was represented. We attracted 339 votes, the BCP/AP alliance 334 and the BDP 110. These results, together with those from previous bye-elections, affirm the UDC’s dominance of the local political landscape. We remain the people’s hope for a better life. Our dominance in the bye-elections and in terms of better ideas, assisted by the BPF, will however not distract us from continuing with our efforts to unite the opposition.
Even though the BDP has become hopelessly weak, irrelevant and paralysed, we would like the opposition to speak with one voice and avoid vote splitting. It is regrettable that as the opposition we remain fragmented despite the past efforts to make us one. Until that is attained, the UDC will continue to carry the hopes of Batswana.
Moeti Mohwasa
UDC Communications