Tafa first broke the news in a Mmegi interview last week, but the assertion has set tongues wagging, with critics saying the BDP must have made up the figure. The number appears all the more incredulous when put against the national population of approximately 1.8 million and the fact that adolescents and children make up a significant number of the population.
The Independence Electoral Commission (IEC) meantime says Botswana has an estimated 900, 000 eligible voters. The IEC however is targeting a figure of 650, 000 voters for next year's general elections, while 563, 702 people have registered so far.
The fact that the BDP figure of 700, 000 was eventually trimmed by almost 300, 000 people who were found to be either ghost figures or members of the opposition, has caused critics to doubt the so-called significant growth claimed by the ruling Party.
Critics say the BDP membership ballooned this year just because a huge number of opposition members were approached to help other Bulela Ditswe (BDP Primary elections) candidates win at the controversial Primaries.
