Last year, the party leadership announced that by March 2023, Bulela Ditswe machinery will be in full motion. However, the party central committee seems to be mum on the issue.
The concerned members believe that historically their party does not take such a long time to announce the primary elections dates and normally they start early.
“We are approaching June which is half of the year and by next year October parties are going for the general election. To start with, the BDP has a way of doing things, unlike opposition parties.
Party primaries have a procedure that cannot be omitted, which is a process on its own.
Time is not on our side at all and the risk is that if they are held late then the appeals will not be given enough time. That on its own is very dangerous to the party because some members who are not happy with outcomes might sabotage the party,” said a BDP member.
According to some members, they believe that the announcement of dates would help them as members also to start preparing for the primaries since they also need time.
The concern of the members is that Bulela-Ditswe starts from the lower structures' approval to one having to be approved even by the party to contest. Political Education and Elections Committee (PEEC) chairperson, Alec Seametso said they are also concerned about the delays as the party since they are waiting for the delimitation process for Local Government and Rural Development to complete its work.
“There is no way we could start the primaries when the delimitation process is on. We do understand the frustration and some who question the party directly, are given that explanation. As a party, we cannot hold elections for those intending to contest for parliamentary seats only, they go hand in hand with council ones,” Seametso said in an interview on Wednesday.
“As soon as the delimitation process is done, then we will kick start our process. What members need to know is that the wards might be increased or decreased and again re-aligned. So, for those aiming for council seats, they should know that those wards might change completely. This is beyond us as a party.”
He said the process is also helping them as a party to ensure that their structures are ready and have not collapsed. Seametso also said his committee has been visiting different party structures to ensure that they get ready when the process of primaries starts and also to induct them since some are new in the committee. BDP secretary-general Kavis Kario shared similar sentiments as Seametso. “We have given BDP members documents to start registering new members. They should be busy with the membership drive so that when the delimitation process is complete, then we configure new numbers into our database. Unfortunately, the BDP rules and regulations remain applicable at all times to guide members on appropriate conduct before the pronouncement of the date for primary elections.
It should be noted that primary elections are conducted at wards and branches whose boundaries will be redefined every population census year by the relevant authorities,” he said. In addition, he said the party processes towards primary elections are reliant on the completion of both constituencies and wards and cannot proceed before boundaries have been legally defined.
He further pointed out that their database will at an appropriate time disseminate membership lists for verification by the branches and wards in accordance with the redefined boundaries.
Therefore, according to Kario, it will be followed by the issuance of membership cards and pronouncements of dates for primary elections. In that regard, the BDP constitution on primary election timing states that elections for council and parliamentary candidates shall be held simultaneously at the same venue. Again, a candidate who wishes to contest a parliamentary seat shall not contest a council seat and vice versa, that is, no person shall be allowed to contest more than one candidacy in any given primary election.
On issues of dates, it states that the primary elections shall be determined by the Central Committee, and this date shall give sufficient time for preparations before national elections.
