Simon Moabi

±%

Simon Moabi
Member of Parliament for Tati West
In office 5 November 2019 –5 September 2024
	BDP	Simon Moabi	6,236	49.33	+6.40
	UDC	Makhani Tshepo	4,783	37.84	+4.47
	BPF	Biggie Butale	1,622	12.83	N/A
Margin of victory			1,453	11.49	+1.93
Total valid votes			12,641	99.40	+0.19
Rejected ballots			76	0.79	−0.19
Turnout			12,717	88.64	+3.30
Registered electors			14,346
	BDP gain from BPF		Swing	+5.44

2024

Incumbent Moabi was criticized for not speaking at Parliament meetings, ranking first on a list of "silent and underperforming MPs". ^[2] He was also criticized by Mmegi magazine for unwisely unilaterally using funds appropriated for his constituency on a road linking Mbalambi, Sekakangwe, and Kalakamat due to the fact that the funds were P 10 million, and the most conservative estimates for the road were that it would cost at least 10 times that amount. He defended his decision by explaining that the fund was supposed to be used for the whole constituency and not split up by village, dismissing claims that the funds were becoming a motshelo. ^[3]

UDP candidate Justin Hunyepa complained that the ruling BDP was "sabotaging" his campaign by removing his campaign posters from villages like Masunga and Mlambakwena using state resources. He also complained that Moabi's posters were funded by the government and that he had to pay for his own. ^[4]

During the campaign, Moabi defended president Mokgweetsi Masisi's foreign trips and successes on fighting livestock diseases such as Foot-and-mouth disease as well as the COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana. ^[5]

Mbakiso Mukokomani, who lost the BDP primary to Moabi, alleged electoral fraud due to the fact that some ballot boxes were not counted. ^[6]

General election 2024: Tati West ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UDC	Justin Hunyepa	6,713	49.99	+12.15
	BDP	Simon Moabi	3,223	24.00	−25.33
	BCP	Leonard Mutheto	2,679	19.95	N/A
	BRP	Biggie Butale	813	6.05	N/A
Margin of victory			3,490	25.99	N/A
Total valid votes			13,428	99.37	−0.03
Rejected ballots			85	0.63	+0.03
Turnout			13,513	83.24	−5.40
Registered electors			16,233
	UDC gain from BDP		Swing	+18.74

References

1. Report to the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration on the 2019 General Elections (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). 2020.
2. Chida, Daniel (2023-08-15). "The silent and underperforming MPS » TheVoiceBW". TheVoiceBW. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
3. Balise, Joseph (2023-06-19). "Tati West legislator fends off potential backlash". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
4. Mkhutshwa, Lesedi (2024-10-08). "Tati West political poster wars erupt". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
5. "Mmegi". enews.mmegi.bw. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
6. Ramatiti, Ketumile (2024-10-23). "Threats of more BDP primary election lawsuits". Weekend Post. Retrieved 2025-03-21.
7. "Hunyepa makes Parliament debut after winning Tati West". DailyNews. 31 October 2024.