Serame rejects favouritism allegations
Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday October 8, 2024 09:47
In her affidavit responding to Dikoloti’s allegations of favouritism displayed by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and Central Committee (CC), Serame said she was never favoured nor was she part of the decision of the CC but rather appealed the results of the Bulela Ditswe as her right due to irregularities that she noticed. 'I deny such allegations as there were two sets of results emanating from the election, which results could not be reconciled and that was part of the reasons for my appeal,” she said. She explained that her appeal was dismissed by the Regional Committee, which prompted her to approach the CC after the Regional Committee made significant findings.
The Finance Minister stated that in dismissing her appeal, the Regional Committee made this following significant findings that the irregularities committed by those charged with scheduling and overseeing primary elections compromised the integrity of the outcome of the election. “The Committee further acknowledged that I was prejudiced by the irregularities. I appealed the decision of the Regional Committee, and the Central Committee upheld my appeal and ordered a re-run,” she said. On being the chairperson of the Women's Wing of BDP and a member of the CC by virtue of her position, Serame submitted that although she attended the CC meetings, she did not participate in the deliberations of the CC which dealt with matters relating to her appeal in the Goodhope-Mmathethe constituency.
Serame pointed out that as a matter of fact, no one with interest in a matter being deliberated upon by the CC is allowed to participate in such deliberations notwithstanding the fact that he/she may be a member of the CC. Responding to the allegations also, the BDP secretary-general (SG) Kavis Kario, said the BDP harboured no ill will or spite against Dikoloti stating that the decision was based on the report of the Electoral Board. “If the Electoral Board states that it was impractical to hold the elections under scrutiny herein, then there was nothing unreasonable about the decision of the central committee in relying on the said report and taking a decision under Regulation 13 (b),” he said. Kario explained that the CC was not about to lay supine when there was a real possibility that the party was likely to find itself not fielding a candidate for the Goodhope-Mmathethe constituency during the upcoming general elections. He pointed out that the decision that forms the basis of Dikoloti's grievance had nothing to do with who could have won the Goodhope-Mmathethe primary elections and that the decision was based solely on Regulation 13 (b) of the Botswana Democratic Party Regulations for Conduct of Primary Elections.
“The regulation in question confers the CC with discretion to judge the situation and make a decision, which it believes to be in the best interest of the party. Obviously it is a political decision, and the CC being one of the organs charged with the responsibility of safeguarding and advancing the interests of the party was best placed to make that decision,” he said. The SG stated that if at all BDP was guilty of any wrong doing it would not have bothered following the established procedures. The instances of favouritism are without a basis. He said the ‘Wena Beulah’ slogan and the prohibition thereof had nothing to do with the decision that was ultimately taken, that it was a separate incident. Kario stated that the decision was taken having considered all that the Central Committee deemed relevant to advance its political goals and that the decision taken was a political decision.
He emphasised that the BDP enjoys greater latitude in making those decisions, and they are not to be easily second guessed and that the decision in question was not a disciplinary measure, or did it seek to adjudicate or arbitrate a dispute between any parties. “In fact, in taking the decision, the CC was not sitting as an adjudication body. There was therefore no one who was to be given a hearing. The provision in question does not contemplate the conducting of a hearing before a decision is made, so that the complaints of not being given a hearing are misplaced,” Kario. In conclusion Kario said the abandonment of a re-run was a consequence of the decision that was taken and the decision itself was to the effect that the laid down procedure of holding primary election was unworkable, and that it would invoke the powers under Regulation 13(b) of the Regulations to bring finality and certainty to the issue of parliamentary representation in the Goodhope- Mmathethe constituency.
That the decision of choosing a representative could have gone either way, or even the choosing of a person who was not even a contestant in the primary elections. Meanwhile, Dikoloti has since withdrawn his case citing timing among other things as he made the decision to run as an independent candidate.