BDP official 'explains' Bulela Ditswe

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Wednesday July 28, 2010 00:00

Oabile Power Moupi, BDP chairman for the political education and elections committee (PEEC) explained to Mmegi yesterday, 'reports that the crew that counted the ballot papers at the counting centre cooked the figures are unfortunate.'

The counting team included Moupi, nominated councillor Allen Lekwapa, ex-councillor Lamodimo Dikomang and BDP secretary general Thato Kwerepe.

'I want to emphasise that our duty was not to determine the winner, as that was left to the party diehards in the area to determine. Our task was to do the verification and counting of the ballots and then announce the winner,' said Moupi.

Moupi stressed that even when one of the candidates queried the results on the floor of the counting centre at the Chamabona Junior Secondary School in Mathangwane, he was provided with the requisite documents to satisfy himself.

'Ballot accounting forms were provided to Onkabetse Daniel after he declared that the results did not reflect the voting pattern. He was able to add up the winner Fidelis Molao's votes including his and he was satisfied in the end,' said Moupi.

He also indicated that at polling station level, the results were announced and verified that they balanced by the polling agents for the contestants in the presence of the public.

He was also quick to point out that at the counting centre, 'we did not announce the results polling station by polling station because the results were already known at the respective polling stations.' He indicated that the counting at the counting centre polling station by polling station would have exposed a voting pattern that we discouraged.

' It was evident that the candidates at some polling stations polled literally zeros which we thought would not be okay for the party going into the impending by-election.'

At one polling station Daniel contended that the name of Sebina South ward was written as Sebina North. The disputed polling station is Sebina Primary School, which falls under Sebina South ward.

'I think the presiding officer did not list Sebina North as Sebina South deliberately, it was a mistake that we are certain did not cost any of the candidates. There were two polling stations in the area and he polled 81 and 64 votes to get 145 votes that he is talking about,' he explained.

Moupi emphasises that he and his team have followed the party elections procedure to the letter. 'If verification and recount are ordered by the party's Electoral Board, we are ready to take the task.'

When quizzed about reports that he and his team went into the elections with a pre-determined winner, he reacted: ' People had issues in their respective areas which I will not list for now. Since the party has vetted all the six contestants it means they were all equal as contestants.'

He denied that the issues of numbers precipitated the petition launched by the five losers of Olifant Mfa, Lewis Malikongwa, Daniel, Ipuseng Chikanda and Molomo Ali Maano.

'I don't think really the issues of numbers is really in contention here because in the first place people did not vote in large numbers and as such fewer people did turn up for the elections, he pointed out.

Moupi indicated that he had done pre-elections counselling which he admits was a success. 'Each and everyone of them had at some stage flouted the party regulations and after agreeing that they will stop attacking each other, the candidates shook hands in the interest of the party.'

He is now shocked that there are issues after the elections, which he admits in a democracy people can still raise issues even when there are no issues at all. 'The candidates made an undertaking before us that they would focus on a clean contest.'

In the end, Moupi indicated that from the weekend primaries 'a pattern has emerged that in exception of Molao, the other candidates fought their political battles from their respective regions.'