BDP re-runs to ignite tensions
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday November 16, 2018 13:34
The BDP members in the two constituencies have not been in good terms since the campaigns for primary elections.
In Kgalagadi North Assistant Minister of Land Management, Water and Sanitation Services, Itumeleng Moipisi lost to Talita Monnakgotla while at Bobirwa constituency businessman Francisco Kgoboko beat the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security Shaw Kgathi
Monnakgotla won with 2,139 votes against Moipisi 1,696 and Kgoboko got 4865 votes Kgathi trailing way behind with 2593.
In response to the party’s appeals committee decision to declare a re-run, Monnakgotla said, “there is nothing that I can do if the party had ordered a re-run. I have not seen any irregularity or a way of cheating during the elections. The only thing I know is that 288 people whom they were complaining about are residents of Kgalagadi North and 23 of them are my family members. This would not discourage me from helping people from my area as I used to”.
Monnakgotla said she would still be contesting.
“Re-runs usually do not give people enough time to heal both from the winning and losing team. Democrats in our area were now healing and had started to cooperate,” said the transport magnate. Western region had referred the case to the party central committee because as they did not understand the party’s decision to include 300 names, which party structures in that constituency had stated that the names should be removed.
Bobirwa
Kgathi had complained that former President Ian Khama campaigned for Kgoboko, something he says had disadvantaged him during primary elections. Yesterday during press conference, BDP secretary general Mpho Balopi said some of the things that happened at Bobirwa were against the code of conduct for primary elections.
“The central committee was satisfied with the decision that was taken by appeals and indeed there were irregularities in these two constituencies,” Balopi said.
He explained that in the Serowe South constituency four wards, Mogatsapoo, Mannonye, Motshegaletau and Moiyabana, will vote for MP only. At Takatokwane two wards, Ditshegwane and Motokwe will also vote for MP only while in Shoshong three wards will vote for MP and councilors and there are Mosolotshane/Moralane, Kalamare and Otse/Kolobeng.
Kgoboko told Mmegi in a telephone conversation that he was out of the country and therefore could not comment on the matter as he is not yet furnished with the letter.
Out of 24 MP appeals, only two succeeded and as did only 39 of 110 councilors appeals.