BDP tightens screws on primaries’ full vetting
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday April 8, 2024 06:00
The process includes checking for active membership, criminal records, and other requirements. Mmegi has learnt that all applications for those who want to contest for party primary elections have reached Tsholetsa office and are already being sorted per recommendations from branch committees. Some of the factors that are looked into critically are whether an applicant did show an expression of interest when they were required to do so by the party last year in November.
“If a member did not express interest during the required time, then there must be a valid reason to that effect.
Again, it would be checked if indeed the applicant is a BDP member in good standing and whether his or her membership card is valid. This is a way to curb a number of people who want to contest under the BDP while they are not our members. The BDP resolutions that were taken at Palapye will apply,” the source said.
A letter written by the BDP secretary-general, Kavis Kario, dated March 13, 2024 to all branches and regions reads: “Members of the BDP who are interested in contesting for primary elections and had submitted the expression of interest form on or before November 2, 2023, 1600hrs by delivery to party head office, are invited to submit a formal application to contest primary elections to their branch secretaries on or before March 20, 2024.
Members who could not submit their forms on or before November 2, 2023, 1600 hrs who wish to request for condonation in line with resolution no: 23 of the 59th national council and congress of the BDP are expected to submit letters to motivate consideration by the Central Committee with details of their employment in government or government agencies and the date when such employment ended.”
The members also undertook an oath, which states that they should be a member of the BDP in good standing; to have provided all the required information (membership card) and paid required membership fees for the processing of membership card and state that they are not excluded from eligibility to hold any office, or public office in terms of articles 8.5.10.6 and any other limitations in terms of the constitution. The member must have duly paid fees for the application to contest primary elections to branch and attached proof of payment to the form of application for candidacy and also provided same to the party head office.
They further agreed to abide by the regulations for the conduct of primary elections, the general code of conduct of the party and the code of conduct for candidates for BDP primary elections currently in force. When contacted for comment, BDP SG Kario said: “I cannot comment about vetting since it is an internal process, which is very sensitive. The central committee will meet soon to deliberate on those applications. It must be remembered that Central Committee decisions are final.”