The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) national executive committee (NEC) at its recent meeting of May 6, 2023 has set May 31, 2023 as deadline for sitting councillors and legislators to express interest in contesting t2024 General Election under the UDC ticket.
This was revealed by the UDC president, Duma Boko at a press conference in Gaborone, a meeting he said will now be monthly.
“The deadline for sitting representatives who were elected in 2019 under the colours and banners of the UDC who would like to remain and contest the 2024 General Election under the UDC has been set as May 31, 2023. All those desirous of availing themselves of this opportunity must formally communicate with the UDC,” UDC president Boko announced this week during a press conference.
This was not the first time Boko gave sitting representatives an ultimatum. Last year, Boko told UDC members in Mahalapye that their NEC, had decided to give Members of Parliament (MP) and councillors up to September 26, 2022 to decide where they stand and submit expression of interest letters.
Boko indicated then that interested councillors and MPs should write letters to the UDC indicating whether or not they will contest the 2024 General Election on the UDC ticket. Boko further pointed out that those who submit the expression of interest would automatically become the party’s candidates in the 2024 General Election.
He said this was long decided through a resolution back in 2018. He added that in 2018 when their founding partner Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) was expelled from the coalition, councillors and MPs were protected and given a chance to remain in the UDC. He promised that the same process was to be applied in the current situation with the BCP. Boko said protecting incumbent BCP MPs and councillors is only reasonable because the latter will not have backing from their parties if there were to be a primary election.
With the increase in constituencies after the release of the delimitation exercise report last year, UDC is yet to decide on various affected constituencies and wards. Now coalition partners both old and new will negotiate and decide which constituencies are up for grabs.
