BDP, AG lose appeal with costs

The BDP and the AG had appealed the case they lost on Friday over the constitutionality of the Standing Orders with respect to the election of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the endorsement of the Vice President. Delivering the unanimous short ruling on behalf of his colleagues, Judge President Ian Kirby said they had debated the central issues and come to the decision that the Parliamentary Standing Orders did not contravene any provision of the Constitution.

This was after the High Court on Sunday night granted the ruling party leave to appeal the November 7 judgment delivered by Justice Michael Leburu on behalf of Justices Tebogo Tau and Singh Walia. The AG had wanted the court to declare some Parliamentary Standing unconstitutional. The opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) opposed the application while the BDP supported the AG’s application.