BDP branch secretary resigns
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday July 18, 2014 14:01
“I wish to resign from the position of branch secretary of Tlokweng and from the Botswana Democratic Party. I therefore request the party to terminate my membership number 1282976. I will like to take this opportunity to wish the party all the best in the coming general elections.”
Mochotlhi is a key witness for the BDP in a case in which suspended former candidate Elijah Katse has taken his party to court to challenge his suspension from the party.
Katse wants to be reinstated as candidate for the Tlokweng area. The matter will continue on August 4 at the Lobatse High Court. Mochotlhi is alleged to have confessed to the BDP investigation team that he and Katse had rigged the primary elections.
During a meeting held by the South East North regional committee recently, party members said they will not accept Olebile Gaborone as their representative.
A source has informed Mmegi that some BDP members have vowed that they will not vote for the party while others have pulled out of the campaign trail.
A Political Science lecturer at the University of Botswana Dr Bashi Mothusi says there is a high chance that the case will wind up similar to what transpired in Francistown West between Whyte Marobela and Ignatius Moswaane. “This is an indication that things are not well in the BDP in that area. Even though the Botswana National Front (BNF) had won that area by a slim margin opposition parties will now stand a good chance again.
We should remember that this constituency was under the BNF before,” he said. At the time, the BNF had won by a 20-vote margin. The BDP will tussle with Botswana Congress party’s Zacharia Phaladi while Same Bathobakae will represent the Umbrella for Democratic Change. BDP executive secretary Sechele Sechele said he is not aware of Mochotlhi’s resignation.