BDP primaries: A two-horse race

his side, then he will give Bolele a run for his money. In the 2009 general elections, Senai was Merafhe's campaign manager. This has brought him closer to the retired politician's supporters. Some people already view him as Merafhe's heir apparent. He however concedes that the contest is one of the toughest assignments he has ever had. He says that he is prepared to face the challenge like a man though.

Cebani: In the last general elections, the sitting civic leader haboured plans of challenging for the parliamentary seat but upon realising that Merafhe, whom he reveres greatly, was in the race, he opted out.The 47-year-old politician who was previously in the employ of the Botswana Railways as a traffic officer (hire accounts), pins his hope on advancing the cause of the youth as his trump card. As a sitting councillor, Cebani is familiar with the challenges of the office he wishes to occupy. For a long time, he has been volunteering his services to the youth - assisting them to do business plans. He has donated football kits and balls to the constituency's youths. His prayer is that factories could set up base in Mahalapye and employ the many unemployed youths in the village.

That he heavily banks his support on the youth could be his undoing because, generally, within the BDP and even in Mahalapye, it is largely the elderly who take active part in both party and national politics.

However, the politician has set out to get a good combination of both young and elderly people to get him the BDP ticket. Although Cebani is still in the race, he has not made it to the top two yet, reports from Mahalapye-West suggest. He however, still has another week ahead before the primaries to redeem himself.
Molefe:  A retired senior member of the army, he acquired BDP life-membership in 2004. Ever since his retirement , the 51-year-old has been working his way inside party structures.

Molefe, a businessman, has been more visible in the village, assisting the party in any way he can.
There is talk in the village that his 'discipline' acquired from the army has some elders wishing Merafhe could pass the baton to him.

Although experience counts in any given field,  work rate is an even weightier factor.
Compared to his competition, Molefe is relatively new to BDP politics and would have to work harder to appeal to the hard-to-please BDP diehards come September 15.

Motsete: Currently in the employ of Air Botswana as an aircraft maintenance planner, Motsete has served in various BDP structures. He has served in the Finance and Economic sub committee of the BDP Central Committee as well as the PEEC. He served as specially elected councillor between 2004 and 2009. In the 2004 general elections, Motsete was Merafhe's campaign manager.

He cut his political teeth in Mahalapye West in the party structures. His main challenge could be that his job keeps him mostly in Gaborone. As his campaign moves from door-to-door, one thing worries him. He has no idea about the strengths and weaknesses of his competition, and it does not help him in setting up his strategies. However, Motsete is determined to fight on and use the knowledge he has about the constituency to his advantage. He is fully aware that he is contesting against some of the most well-established politicians in the constituency.

For his first attempt in a contest of this magnitude, Motsete might just gain experience, which may come in handy for use in future forays.Although politics often has its surprises, Motsete is certainly not one to pull one in this contest.