The 30th October general elections has brought a paradigm shift to the Francistown City Council which will put the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) at the helm of the local authority.
The drastic and rattling defeat of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) left the party with a mere four councilors from 17 in the previous term. This time around UDC has 12 councilors which translates into over 50 percent, while Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has only secured six councilors which translates to 27 percent.
On a disappointing note, from the three political parties which make up the political wing of the local authority only two women Nametso Griesmeir of the BDP and Dorcas Moemedi of the UDC have been voted into council. Making it one female councilor less, after Sennye Matsoo of the BCP was ousted from Ikageleng ward by Thapelo Mosenya of the UDC. Griesmeir returns to serve her second term. Matsoo had served 10 years.
In over 20 years, residents of the second city now also have three parliamentarians from the UDC, breaking the 58-year-old history of Francistown being a BDP stronghold. Francistown is in hands of the UDC which is now the ruling party.
Interestingly, Francistown West and South constituencies have no councilors from the Botswana Democratic Party. With only Nametso Griesmeir, Moagi Koketso, Lesego Kwambala and Eric Mabengano representing BDP in the entire city. Francistown East constituency recently joined UDC commonly known as the blue train, ushering youthful Tiroyaone Ntsima to parliament, after biting the dust during the 2019 polls.
However, campaigning is not yet over, as the race for the gold platted Mayoral chain heats up. The race is between two UDC councilors, Gaone Majere and former Peter Ngoma of Satellite South.
Majere, councilor for Tshwaragano ward will be serving his third term brings a wealth of experience of how the wheels of council turn and has been in touch with the challenges faced by the youth of the city. He is also a firebrand in advocating issues Francistown is grappling with.
On the other hand, Peter Ngoma is a mature candidate with experience of being a Mayor. Both councilors are comrades also under the Alliance for Progressives and none of them is a novice to the game of politics.
