BDP central committee sets primary election date

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday July 2, 2024 11:49

According to BDP secretary-general, Kavis Kario, these members will be refunded the money they paid to contest in the Bulela Ditswe primaries. The Monitor has learnt that their names were approved by the party's central committee members last Friday. They also agreed on a primary election date, which is expected to be made official this week. However, the deadline for those wishing to withdraw their candidacy has passed. If someone has valid reasons for not withdrawing by the set date, their case will be reviewed by the central committee.

Even then, a refund or acceptance of the withdrawal is not guaranteed. In an interview on Sunday, Kario said “primary election dates have been set and official date will be announced during the week'. 'I can't share the dates before it is communicated to our members,' he told The Monitor. 'So far, four members willing to contest for party primary elections for MP seats have withdrawn and 18 members for council seats.” This comes hardly after BDP chairperson, Slumber Tsogwane, wrote to party structures informing them that all members willing to withdraw from contesting in the party primary elections can do so and will be refunded accordingly. Still, in his letter dated June 5, 2024, Tsogwane said members should take oath from their affidavit form whether a member is aware of any investigation against him/her by law enforcement authorities or the applicant has an unfavourable criminal record held by enforcement authorities. On the other hand, members were oath over any pending or potential litigation, or a judgment of court against them that may result in the applicant not being able to satisfy the Independent Electoral Commission’s (IEC) requirements for nomination.

Again, they also wanted the applicant to declare whether there was any matter or anything that may result in the applicant being imprisoned for failure to satisfy a civil debt. Furthermore, they wanted the applicants to state whether there was anything that may result in the IEC rejecting the applicant for nomination as a candidate either at the ward or constituency level.