The former Foreign Affairs Minister got 48 votes with six MPs abstaining. Two votes were spoilt. The sole Botswana Congress Party (MP) Dumelang Saleshando indicates that he abstained. If none of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (MPs) abstained, then five BNF MPs did.
If the two spoilt votes were from the opposition, then that means four MPs from the opposition voted for Merafhe. It may be possible, although highly unlikely that the two spoilt votes came from BDP in which case up to six opposition MPs may have backed Merafhe. BNF MPs gave contradictory accounts of why there was a discrepancy in the voting. Most MPs maintain that at their caucus prior to the vote, BNF president Otsweletse Moupo told them that he had met with the new president Ian Khama who informed him that he had chosen Merafhe as his VP. Moupo reportedly said given that Merafhe is obviously going to get overwhelming support from the BDP majority, then the vote in parliament did not matter. He therefore said MPs could vote with their conscience, said one MP.
