Independent body to run BCP elections at congress

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Tuesday June 8, 2010 00:00

The publicity secretary of the BCP, Dumelang Saleshando, says as an experienced retired judicial officer who once dealt with election issues as Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Mosojane is the ideal choice for the purpose.

The party goes to congress after merging with the Botswana Alliance Movement to become one entity. In an interview with Mmegi, Saleshando says each constituency is expected to register 40 members, as delegates to the congress. The BCP expects delegates from all of the 50 constituencies that participated in the general elections last year. Where joint BCP/BAM structures exist, they will be streamlined into single structures before the end of this month.

'We have also requested the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) to run the elections for us,' Saleshando says. 'That is why we want to have finished registering delegates for the elective congress by this month-end so that when EISA comes, they find the voters' roll ready.'

Saleshando, who is tipped to emerge from the congress as the new BCP president, says the party wants to engage EISA so that transparency and fairness are ensured. Being the only candidate, the younger Saleshando, whose father Gilson is the incumbent president, should have no difficulty in this regard.

Former BAM president, Ephraim Setshwaelo, should also have a seamless sail to the vice-presidency as he is also facing no challenge so far.

Not so for the chairmanship where there will be a tussle between incumbent, Batisani Maswibilili and youth leader, Lotty Manyapedza. Dennis Alexander of BOMAID should also have an unencumbered rise to become treasurer because incumbent Florence Shagwa is not standing. Also expecting no hitch should be Taolo Lucas, who plans to vacate his powerful position of secretary general to become publicity secretary, the position currently held by Saleshando.

UB academic, Kesitegile Gobotswang, aims to become secretary general of the revamped BCP, which is currently the best political party in Botswana, in terms of organisation and discipline. It was also the fastest growing until the recent emergence of the Botswana Movement for Democracy following the jarring shipwreck of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

'We are fortunate that we are building greater consensus around key positions in the party,' said Saleshando in response to a question.

Elections should be resorted to if the organisation is unable to reach consensus on deploying its cadres to leadership positions.

'We have had instances of acrimonious contest for positions in the past where some people left after losing elections. Some of them went to other political parties.'