Kedikilwe is the BDP chairman

Isaiah Morewagae | Tuesday December 10, 2013 16:59

 

Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe has taken over the reigns of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). In an announcement made yesterday at an event to sign a book of condolences for the late President Nelson Mandela at the South African High Commission in Gaborone, President Ian Khama said the retiring vice president has been appointed the ruling party chairman.

Kedikilwe replaces Samsom Moyo Guma who resigned his seat last week at the height of political tensions in the ruling party.

The Tati East Member of Parliament assumed the reigns of the number two spot in the BDP, five months ago, but fell from grace over accusations of voter rigging and alleged improper connections and financial backing from Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF.

Khama made the announcement in the company of his entire cabinet and BDP central committee members.

The President is expected to leave today for South Africa to attend the memorial service for the departed founding president of democratic South Africa.

The anti-apartheid activist, hailed an icon the world over, passed away last Thursday after a long illness. He will be buried at his home village of Qunu in the Eastern Cape on Sunday, at an event expected to be attended by some of the world leaders, including US President Barack Obama.

 Meanwhile, the BDP has dismissed reports that some members of the Central Committee were going to resign in the near future on allegations of wrongdoing with regards to the party primary elections.  In a press statement issued yesterday, the BDP said that president Khama has also appointed Damien Thapa from North East Region as an additional  member of the central committee.