Another petition in the offing in Francistown West

Edward Mpoloka | Friday December 20, 2013 15:00

 

“I can confirm that we are petitioning the president through either the DC (District Commissioner) or a Cabinet Minister. As I speak to you, I am on my way to the Francistown DC office to submit a letter to His Excellency the President Ian Khama asking him to delegate a minister here to receive our petition on his behalf on Monday 23rd December at the Monarch kgotla. We are asking the president to cancel the writ and issue a fresh one which will obviously have Moswaane representing his people,” said Zazambi Tuelo yesterday.

Tuelo is the man believed to be behind the first discredited petition, which carried signatures of people long deceased. He said the new petition carries signatures of people from across the political divide.

Claiming that it is a civic society effort in pursuance of justice, he said the handing over of the petition will be preceded by a motorcade in Francistown West.

Both the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) are aware of the latest move.  “I am aware of it. I think these people are out of their minds. They should be hiding somewhere in the bush in shame after the fraudulent petition that postponed the by-election. They are also supposed to be under investigation,” said Vain Mamela of the BCP, the campaign manager of the party’s candidate in the constituency, Dr Habaudi Hobona.

For his part, the candidate of the Botswana Peoples’ Party (BPP), Shathiso Tambula, said the BDP is spoilt, and thinks that an election cannot be democratic without its participation. “Besides, all these moves are meant to hijack the democratic process. As far as we are concerned the election date stands,” he said.

The saga started with a court order initiated by Whyte Marobela after the BDP failed to address his appeal following his controversial loss to Moswaane in the primaries.  After losing a series of legal battles to have Moswaane nominated as the BDP candidate for the Francistown West polls, Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe controversially issued a proclamation postponing the bye-election.

Central to his decision was the now discredited petition, which was purportedly signed by about 1,100 people from the constituency..