Reverting to the almighty 18: BDP’s dilemma
Friday, September 01, 2023 | 990 Views |
Before the inception of Bulela Ditswe in 2003, the BDP had an all-powerful Committee of 18 that decided the fate of anyone seeking political office on the party ticket. The Committee of 18 was the king-maker and enjoyed limitless powers. Its word was final. The committee screened prospective candidates and eventually handpicked a name which, in its perception would serve best the interests of the party.
The Committee of 18’s choosing process consisted of the meeting of the voters where they vote for a candidate they felt was good enough to represent the party at the general election. The committee basically ignored the will of individual members in their selection of candidates. The Almighty and party bosses as a result were sometimes accused of trading votes for power, benefaction, or even money.
The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...