BDP sets new dates for primaries in opposition held constituencies
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Thursday December 7, 2017 14:23
The party’s Bulela Ditswe in the 18 opposition-held constituencies were postponed indefinitely in October to await the final determination of the case on the participation of civil servants in primary elections, which was before the Court of Appeal (CoA).
Yesterday at the party’s monthly press briefing, secretary general Mpho Balopi said the primaries have been scheduled for January 20, 2018. He said the party is ready to hold the primary elections following the determination by the CoA.
“We are ready to go ahead with the primaries even if they’re tomorrow since the appeal’s court has made a determination. Membership cards have been issued. But we want to give candidates time to check the voters’ rolls to avoid any irregularities,” he said.
Balopi indicated that eight parliamentary candidates of the 18 constituencies would stand unopposed after agreeing on a compromise candidate. The eight are Gaborone North which will be represented by Balopi, Tlokweng by Thulaganyo Segokgo, Bonnington North by Annah Mokgethi, Kanye South by Lemogang Kwape, Gaborone Central by Tumisang Mongwegape, Goodhope Mabule by Eric Molale, Maun West by Reaoboka Mbulawa and Selebi-Phikwe West by Allen Lekwapa. Furthermore, Balopi said that primaries for the remaining 39 constituencies would be held on August 11, while deadline for submission of names for vetting comes on May 31, next year.
Meanwhile, Balopi said it is possible and permissible that some could be unhappy with the postponement of the elections, but that it was necessary to wait for the court’s determination on Section 5 5(5)(b) of the Public Service Act (PSA). He stressed that the BDP constitution clearly states that ‘membership of the party is voluntary and open to all Batswana who accept the party’s policies and programmes of action and are not members of other political parties’.
Government had appealed the decision of the High Court Judge, Justice Modiri Letsididi, that the section does not prohibit public officers from participating in primaries after Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) and National Amalgamated Central, Local and Parastatal Manual Workers Union (NALCGPWU) took the Permanent Secretary to the President (PSP) to court seeking a determination on the legal interpretation of Section 5.
However, the government argued that the section prohibits public officers from voting or taking part in political party activities as this amounts to active membership. CoA upheld government’s appeal and set aside Letsididi’s judgement in November.