Political parties have not wasted time on the festive as they scaled up preparations for the looming by-elections with the most prominent being the Tlokweng Parliamentary seat. Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), which was holding the seat until the recent death of MP Same Bathobakae, has reached a compromise and settled for Botswana National Front (BNF) constituency chairperson Masego Segokgo as their candidate. This has effectively put to an end to prospect of having Bathobakae replaced by another woman, meaning that the opposition will not have a female MP. Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has decided to hold primary elections as four people have applied to stand for the elections. One of the candidates is Elijah Katse, who was suspended by President Ian Khama after he won the party’s primary elections by beating Olebile Gaborone. Gaborone replaced him and suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the late Bathobakae by with 6,442 against 3,867 votes. Since Katse has reconciled with the party leadership, most democrats are said to be rooting for him. Other aspiring candidates are Akanyang Seitshiro, Phineas Molefhe and Thulaganyo Segokgo. The party is expected to meet on January 23, 2016 to try and reach a compromise. Sources…