BDP battles intensify in Tlokweng
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday May 2, 2014 16:02
Last week the BDP leadership sent a committee led by Isaac Seloko and executive secretary Sechele Sechele to the constituency to investigate a complaint about how the party primary elections were handled.
With that, an indication was that the Tlokweng constituency will soon know whether there will be a re-run or not.
The enquiry team was sent after the current Member of Parliament Olebile Gaborone, who lost the primaries to Elijah Katse, complained that their appeal was not handled properly. Gaborone’s team had allegedly cheated in the primary elections.
According to a source, any decision taken by the committee of enquiry is likely to worsen the situation in the area. ‘Team Gaborone’ and ‘Team Katse’ do not see eye to eye.
The source further revealed that Katse and his council candidates were supposed to be launched in April but the event was postponed to allow the investigation to take place.
Some concerned members of the BDP in the area complained that the issue is disrupting the party campaigns since now it is not clear whether they will go for a re-run or not.
Another source within Katse’s team said they had worked hard in the area and the infighting is reversing their gain.
Some of the members aligned to Gaborone have allegedly vowed to vote for the opposition.
“The divisions among party members in this constituency might give opposition parties a chance to win the constituency.
Remember this is a constituency that was won by Botswana National Front (BNF) and for us to win it, we have to be united,” he said.
They accused the party leadership of favouritism and alleged that the decision to investigate the primary elections is to appease Gaborone who is said to be close to party President Ian Khama.
Another source within the Tlokweng branch committee said for now they had suspended campaigns for Katse until the issue is resolved.
“He cannot continue with his campaigns until the issue is resolved.
This issue is going to de-campaign our candidates seriously. Other parties, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) are busy with their campaigns,” he said.
Sechele would not comment, as it is an internal party matter.
The Tlokweng constituency branch chair, Jani Bogatsu, would not comment either.