BDP races against time to find candidate
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday June 27, 2022 06:00
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) this week set July 7, 2022 and July 30, 2022 as the dates for nomination of candidates and by-election respectively, but BDP was Wednesday still undecided on when it will hold primary election.
The Moselewapula ward became vacant following the death of Reuben Ketlhoilwe of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in May after a long battle with cancer. Ketlhoilwe, a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) activist, was deployed by the UDC to represent them in the 2019 general elections following the former’s decision to join the latter in 2017.
Ketlhoilwe had previously won the ward during a by-election following the death of Lechedzani Modenga of the BDP in early 2018. As things stand, the BDP is expecting to have a multi-candidacy primary election for Moselewapula ward in the Francistown West constituency. BDP’s main competitor barring any surprise that may emerge in the ward, UDC, has already held its primary election and will be represented by Oagile Wairi.
Chairperson of the BDP Francistown region, Baemedi Medupi told Mmegi that between Wednesday and Friday this week, the party will know who will represent them in the by-election.
The aspiring candidates of the BDP, Medupi noted, will be required to pay P2, 500 in order to be eligible to contest in the party’s primary election.
“We anticipate that five or more people will express interest to compete in our primary election. This is however subject to the candidates being vetted and having paid the required P2, 500. If many party activists raise their hands to represent the BDP in the by-election, there is nothing the party can do to bar them if they meet all our constitutional requirements. We will simply leave democracy to run its course. Also, we anticipate holding our primary election on July 2, 2022 in order not to fall foul of the requirements of the Electoral Act especially after the IEC released the date of nomination,” said Medupi.
The crowded primary will disappoint the BDP’s regional and national leadership including its chairperson, Slumber Tsogwane. The leadership had anticipated that BDP activists in Moselewapula would have no qualms about a consensus candidate.
Meanwhile, Wairi’s quest to represent the UDC in the upcoming by-election may hit a snag because of the fragile relationship and simmering tensions between two UDC protagonists, Botswana National Front (BNF) and BCP over governance issues at the UDC.
There are rumours that the UDC is preparing a candidate from its other affiliate, Botswana People’s Party (BPP), to represent them in the Moselewapula by-election. The BPP has already admitted the status quo saying that in the event the BCP goes solo just like during the controversial Bophirima ward by-election in Gaborone, its candidate will be on standby.
Rumours that the UDC will be represented by a BPP candidate in Moselewapula gained more traction this week.
There are also allegations that two influential members of the BCP, Dumelang Saleshando and Goretetse Kekgonegile, its president and secretary general respectively, may be expelled from the UDC at its make or break National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Palapye on Saturday.
Rumourmongers also say the other option that the UDC is exploring is suspending the BCP from the UDC for an indefinite period. However, spokesperson of the UDC, Moeti Mohwasa has denied knowledge of such shenanigans.