Trying times for political parties

BDP members PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE
BDP members PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE

With only a few months before the country goes to the polls, Botswana’s political parties are yet to start their campaigns in earnest with the majority of them gripped by political brouhaha that continues to steal peace from their ranks. Mmegi Staff Writers RYDER GABATHUSE & LEBOGANG MOSIKARE report that in the exception of the new-kid-on-the-political-block, Alliance for Progressives (AP), older parties, ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), tri-party coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and its former partner Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), have lately been grappling with factionalism

FRANCISTOWN: Interestingly, all the parties have held their primary elections last year ahead of time in an endeavour to have sufficient time to lead their campaigns ahead of the General Election. In Botswana’s political system, it is the state President who issues a writ of the general elections and that means he is the custodian of the date of the elections.

Although the President leads his party in contesting for the elections, he and his party are advantaged in knowing at least when such elections will be held.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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