UDC's Digwa may sue over election outcome
Chakalisa Dube | Friday November 22, 2019 14:35
Should he go to court, Digwa would be joining a swelling number of politicians who are challenging the 2019 election results.
Digwa lost the parliamentary polls in Boteti West to incumbent Slumber Tsogwane of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
Digwa got 6, 713 votes against Tsogwane ‘s 7, 006 while Michael Molathiwa of the Alliance for Progressives attracted a paltry 344 votes.
Immediately after losing the elections, Digwa made it clear his intension to challenge the results in court citing irregularities.
“I have instructed Dick Bayford senior partner at Bayford and Associates as my advisors on the matter. Personally, I am convinced that I have solid reasons to challenge the election results in court.
Obviously, as a client I also rely on the advice of my lawyer to decide whether I should go to court or not. My intention is to file my initial court documents in relation to challenging the elections on Friday (today).
However it is worth noting that my decision as to whether I am going to court or not will partly depend on the advice of my lawyer,” Digwa told Mmegi on Thursday.
“As I speak to you I am waiting for Dick Bayford so that we can finalise our engagements in relation to the case.
That is when I will decide if I should go to court or not. I am still waiting for him because he has other important court engagements,” he said yesterday.
Just after the results were announced, Digwa expressed his displeasure with the way the elections were conducted. He said that the presiding officers intimidated some of his election observers.
Digwa added that after the elections, the presiding officers did not give an opportunity to his observers to escort some ballot papers to the counting centre (after voting closed). Digwa’s defeat a month ago was a third consecutive loss against Tsogwane.
He stated that it is also possible that ballots could have been tampered with while being transported, something that might have ultimately contributed to his loss.
UDC president, Duma Boko who lost the parliamentary elections in Bonnington North and Noah Salakae who lost the elections in Ghanzi North are amongst those who are challenging the election outcomes in court.