BCP rejects delimitation commission report

OARABILE MOSIKARE
Staff Writer | Monday March 4, 2013 00:00

 

The commission was appointed in June 2012 and last week handed its report to President Ian Khama. It is said that the commission that was chaired by Justice Terence Rannowane has made it clear that it has no power to increase the number of constituencies and this means that the 59 constituencies remain unchanged. This has riled the BCP, which expected the number of constituencies to be increased at least by 10.  BCP secretary general Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang said this was unexpected from the commission, which he dismissed as a fraudulent set-up.

'The Delimitation Commission members are political appointees and the commission is a fraudulent set up. All its members were appointed by the President; it is not independent,' said Gobotswang.

He alleged that the outcome of the commission was influenced by Khama who last year apparently said there was likely to be no constituency increase due to lack of money.

'The whole exercise is fraudulent through and through. It is not a question of money. The commission was influenced by Khama,' he charged.

The BCP has also dismissed the decision of the commission to change the names of some constituencies. The commission has dealt abolished names that connote tribes. Some of the affected constituencies are Kweneng South East that has been renamed Lentsweletau-Mmopane, Barolong, which is now called Goodhope-Mabule, Tswapong North, which is now called Lerala-Maunatlala, and Tswapong South, which has been renamed Sefhare-Ramokgonami.

Other are Kgatleng East, now called Mochudi East, and Kgatleng West, now called Mochudi West. Ngwaketsi West is renamed Jwaneng-Mabutsane while Ngwaketsi South is now called Mmathethe-Molapowabojang.  In response, the BCP said they are rejecting these name changes.

'The renaming of constituencies has never been an issue. What has motivated these name changes?' Gobotswang said they acknowledge that there are constituencies with name problems like Tonota North and Ngwaketsi South. Tonota North is now called Shashe West.

He said the commission wasted taxpayers' money, going across the country claiming to be consulting.