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Abandoning BNF primaries may fuel divisions—UB analyst

The BNF has revealed that it will not hold primary elections PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
The BNF has revealed that it will not hold primary elections PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

FRANCISTOWN: A University of Botswana (UB) political analyst is of the view that the decision of the Botswana National Front (BNF) to abandon its traditional primary elections in favour of a consensus candidate selection process may be a recipe for disaster.

While many political formations across the world use primary elections to select candidates for legislative and council vacancies, one of the country’s major political parties, the BNF, has revealed that it will not hold primary elections to select candidates for council and Parliament seats.

During its recent annual conference in Shoshong, the BNF which is also a major component of the country’s main opposition bloc, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), announced that a resolution was taken to do away with primary elections in favour of the choosing of consensus candidates.

Editor's Comment
Get back what was stolen, and lock the door

That a single private law firm pocketed P6.5 million for just four cases, out of a total P11.1 million paid for 25 matters, reeks of a system that was not merely disorganised but open to abuse.Bayford has taken a welcome first step by telling the Public Accounts Committee the truth. Now he must act decisively to ensure it never happens again and that any money lost to wrongdoing is recovered.The figures are staggering. Whilst ordinary Batswana...

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