Katse returns
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday January 11, 2017 15:21
Kenneth Segokgo, a former secondary school teacher and now a businessman would represent the UDC.
Katse was disqualified from standing in the BDP primaries ahead of the 2014 general elections over alleged malpractice. Katse and others, who were willing to contest for council seats then, were accused of violating the party constitution and primary elections code of conduct. Other hopefuls are Thulaganyo Segokgo, Nkanyang Seitshiro, Mantle Matlapeng and Dr Phineas Molefe. According to a source within BDP, the branch committee had given the five hopeful candidates up to January 7, to agree on whom they think could represent the party better.
“They have since failed to come up with consensus name. The branch met with them but they still failed to agree. Some branch members believe that maybe the five members could agree if party elders intervene failing which the party will have to hold primary elections,” the source said.
The source said the hopeful candidates met several times as per branch request to discuss the matter if they could agree on one candidate but the meeting could not yield any fruits.
The source continued: “The problem with primary elections is that it brings division amongst members. We want to go to this by-election united for us to win the constituency from the opposition. One of the reasons why we lose it is because of divisions”.
Yesterday the BDP secretary general Botsalo Ntuane said they are awaiting feedback from the branch. “As we have always said central committee prefers a consensus candidate especially during by-elections. However where it has not been possible we have to abide by the party constitution which entrenches the right of every member to contest a position of choice,” Ntuane said.
He said this though does not preclude the same aspirants from continuing with discussions, which could continue till the eve of the primary.
However, the UDC has started counselling members who had interest in contesting. Mmegi has learnt that before the members agreed on consensus candidate, they were members who had wanted to contest.
The Botswana National Front (BNF), which is a member of the UDC, has been holding several meetings with its members to start campaigns. The BNF publicity secretary Justin Hunyepa said campaigns started after the members agreed on the name of a candidate.
“Is true members are holding meetings. I know that today [Tuesday] our members will be having a meeting with Botswana Congress Party (BCP) members and Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) members to discuss the issue of the by-election,” Hunyepa said. He said though the issue of a candidate has never been a problem, they keep on counselling members who could not openly declare that they had interest.