Authoritative sources within the constituency say Seretse wants the party’s Central Committee to overturn an Electoral Board decision that ordered the September 9, 2018 re-run. Seretse initially won the August 25 by-election, defeating his closest rival, Nnaniki Makwinja, by a 45-vote margin. The Electoral Board ordered a re-run citing numerous alleged irregularities and Seretse consequently lost to Makwinja by 930 votes. Mmegi this week was informed that the incumbent MP, who is also the Infrastructure and Housing Development minister, has taken his appeal to the party’s highest decision-making body.
Those privy to the protest letter written by Seretse mid-September allege that the minister feels the re-run was not in line with the party’s regulations governing primary elections. For instance, Seretse claims that the returning officer or other candidates raised no complaints about his August victory. “Seretse feels that if at all there were complaints, they should have been lodged with the party within a week just like it happened in other constituencies. He feels that he should have been given the opportunity to respond to any appeal lodged as prescribed under Appeals. Hence his dismay six days later that there is going to be a re-run,” a source close to the developments stated. It is understood the crux of his appeal is that the responsibility to order a re-run lies with the Central Committee.
