BDP Matante East hopefuls opt for primaries
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday February 23, 2016 16:20
The primary election will select the candidate who will represent the party at the by-election to replace the late former area councillor, Shadreck Nyeku.
Over a week ago the party resolved that those who are interested in contesting the by-election should first engage each other and explore the possibility of selecting a compromise candidate instead of holding party primaries.
Mmegi has learnt that the nine candidates failed to settle for a compromise candidate in a meeting held late last week.
It is reported that the members felt that each of them were best placed to win the party primaries.
Among the nine are Peter Nare, Elizabeth Morebodi and Kgabinyana Masalila who faced each other at the BDP party primaries leading to the 2014 general elections.
Masalila won the primaries but lost in general elections to Nyeku.
Nare left after the BDP’s disputed primaries and contested the general elections as an independent, before going back to the ruling party.
Others who attended the meeting were Ditiro Morebodi who is said to be a close relative to Elizabeth, Keith Masalila the son to Kgabinyana, Segametsi Sebenyane and Segametsi Makabe. Also at the meeting was Olatotse Speakson.
Mmegi is yet to verify the name of the other person who was part of the meeting.
Francistown regional chairman Sabelo Matikiti who was accompanied by his secretary general Neo Gabalebatse chaired the meeting.
The planned primary for Matante East runs contrary to the BDP’s plans for the Sekoma by-election, where party members in that ward decided on a compromise candidate, Case Lebotso several weeks ago. Democrats in the ward felt that foregoing the primaries would give the party enough time to prepare for the by-election.
Late last week Matikiti would not deny or confirm the meeting held by candidates interested in the primaries, saying he does not discuss internal party matters with the media.
The BDP recently announced that if primaries are to be held for Phillip Matante East, they would be held very early to allow the party to start aggressively campaigning for the party.