Court of Appeal ends UDC petition case with dismissal
Friday, January 31, 2020
Duma Boko leaving court with UDC members PIC. THALEFANG CHARLES
The CoA ruling has cemented President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s rule until 2024 when the next general elections will be held. Botswana held its general election on October 23, 2019 with the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) winning by a majority of 38 seats against UDC’s 15.
The UDC petitioned the court and contested the outcome of the elections citing “irregularities in some of the constituencies”. The BDP has ruled Botswana since independence from Britain in 1966.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Dithapelo Keorapetse, has this week rightly washed his hands of the mess, refusing to wade into a party squabble that has no clear leadership and no single version of the truth.When a single party sends six different letters to the Speaker’s office, each claiming to be the authoritative voice, it is not just confusion, but an embarrassment.Keorapetse is correct to insist on institutional boundaries. Parliament...