Billy files primaries loss protest
Chakalisa Dube - Lebogang Mosikare | Tuesday August 6, 2024 10:08
Billy who is also the Assistant Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, was also absent at Pelotshwaana Primary School during the official announcement of the parliamentary results in Donga. When asked for a comment if he accepted the results or if he will assist Radisigo in the campaign trail in the build up to the General Election in October, Billy briefly said: “I have no comment. I will comment at the right time.” While Billy is keeping his cards close to his chest about his political future, Mmegi is in possession of a letter of appeal addressed to the BDP central committee and copied to the Francistown region as well as the Francistown East branch committee. The appellants in the letter are Billy, and some of his aspiring council candidates who lost during the recent BDP primaries: Morulaganyi Mothowabarwa, Seanokeng Dithobane, Agisanang Ephraim Machete, Gift Malunga, Alfred Letsholathebe, Alec Mompoloki and Chakanaka Manche. The respondents in the matter are Radisigo and some aspiring councillors who won the primaries: Oratile Tumedi, Eric Mabengano, Nametso Griesmier, Tumediso Mbanga and Moagi Koketso. With the exception of Griesmier and Mbanga the aspiring candidates who are cited as respondents were aligned with Radisigo. According to the grounds of appeal contained in Billy and his fellow democrats’ letter, on the eve of the primary elections, a briefing ceremony was conducted for candidates and people who were to conduct the elections on the polling day. At the briefing, election officers were informed that they would be accommodated in classrooms and tents at Pelotshwaana Primary School in Francistown.
The officers were however, not happy with being accommodated in such facilities. As a result of their misgivings, some of the candidates in the primary elections offered them accommodation at their houses, or facilitated alternative accommodation for them, such as at a guesthouse owned by Mbanga in Selepa. Others were accommodated by Koketso, a candidate in Donga Ward; Tumedi, a candidate in Selepa Ward; Griesmeir; a candidate in the Central Ward; Mabengano, a candidate in Ntshe Ward; and Radisigo, a parliamentary candidate in the Francistown East Constituency. Billy and his councillors claim that when officers accepted accommodations facilitated by the candidates, they had voters’ rolls and ballot papers in their possession. This situation according to Billy’s camp potentially compromised the integrity of the primaries.
“The candidates mentioned above accommodated election officers with election material at their houses and/or guesthouses overnight. Nobody knows what could have happened while they lodged at the candidates’ houses. As if that was not enough, on polling day, some of the officers came to the polling stations in some of the candidates’ motor vehicles or motor vehicles owned by some of the candidates’ campaign teams. At Pelotshwaana Primary School, officers were transported by Mr. Nonyana, a member of Koketso’s campaign team. Mr. Nonyana’s wife was also involved in offering incentives to voters if they voted for Koketso. At Ntshe, Mabengano transported the election officers to the polling station.” Billy and his team of aspiring councillors also complained that there was gross trafficking at the primaries. “We also noted during the voting process, particularly in Selepa and Donga, that a considerable number of people that voted had been trafficked from Block 2 in Francistown. They are not residents of any of the two wards. In Selepa, more than 50 people were from Block 2 voted, while more than 100 voted in Donga. As per norm in the BDP, all candidates are given an opportunity to inspect the voters’ roll before the primary elections. Billy’s team said that during the inspection of the first and second drafts of the voters’ roll, they identified numerous omissions of potential voters. They claim that they then relayed their observations to the party, but no correction was done. “We were assured that our issues were noted and would be addressed accordingly. We trusted the process and rested assured that the party would do as it promised. We were thereafter never given a chance to inspect the final roll. On the day of elections, several voters were returned on account of not being on the roll. And these were the very same omissions that we had earlier observed and communicated with the party. As a result of these omissions, a sizeable number of potential voters were disenfranchised, rendering the entire process of elections unfair and without integrity,” read parts of the letter authored by Billy and his team of aspiring councillors.
The trend of missing voters on the voter roll has been observed in most of the BDP primaries across the country. In the protest letter Koketso is also being accused of gross transgressions against the BDP primary election rules. In the main, he is accused of openly campaigning within the perimeter fence of the polling station as well on queues while polling was ongoing. In many instances, Koketso and his campaign team were allegedly seen offering voters payment(s) in exchange for votes. This is according to the contents of the protest letter. “On July 28, 2024, still, in violation of the party rules and regulations, the said Koketso hosted a party at his house to celebrate his victory. Some election officials were seen at his house after they had conducted elections that should be seen to be free and fair. They had joined him in celebration,” There were also events that were hosted leading to the elections which were in violation of party regulations according to Billy and his team of aspiring councillors.
“From July 13 to July 16, 2024, Tumedi hosted a campaign rally disguised as a soccer tournament in Selepa. The event was attended by, among others, Radisigo and Mabengano from Ntshe. At the same event, Radisigo was introduced as the ‘in-coming’ MP, while Tumedi was introduced as a council candidate. The interlocutions were by the event master of ceremony, Mpho Willy. Mabengano also attended the event. This was as well in violation of regulations that prohibit cross-border campaigning,” the letter ended. On Saturday, Radisigo and councillors who won, wholly accepted the results of the election. According to the constitution of the BDP, protests should be filed seven days after the official announcement of council and parliamentary primaries results.