In the last primary election or Bulela Ditswe exercise there was some confusion as to whether 16 and 17 years old should vote in the primary elections as the same age group is constitutionally not allowed to vote in the General Elections as the minimum voting age in the Botswana Constitution is 18 years. As the BDP has in its wisdom outlined that membership of the BDP Youth Wing is for those members between the ages of 16 to 35, the Youth Wing strongly believes that 16 and 17 year olds should be accorded their democratic right of voting in Bulela Ditswe. The BDP has the most youthful and youth representative Youth Wing or League of all the political parties in Botswana. In other parties their Youth are led by people over the age of 35 years. Furthermore, the BDP has the largest youth Wing in the country with more than 114,000 card carrying BDP Youth members. As the largest youth movement in the country the BDP Youth Wing has an obligation to be receptive and assume the leading role in all facets of Youth empowerment. The BDP is also very receptive and knowledgeable about the voting and general demographics of the nation.
The majority of Batswana are under the age of 35 years, and our demographic transition model clearly shows that the bulk of our population and the electorate is in the youth bracket. In addition, the BDP has actively striven to empower the youth of Botswana through its various policies and programmes over the past 41 years. The BDP is the only political party that has empowered its Youth by reducing the maximum age of its Youth Wing to 35 years, and according 16 and 17 years olds the same rights as any other member of the party. As part of its strategy of being a Youth friendly and truly youthful party the BDP carefully considered the recommendation and advocacy of its youth Wing for its 16 and 17 year olds to vote in Bulela Ditswe and the main party has accepted the Youth Wing's position. Among the arguments that the young Wing advanced for allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote for their council and parliamentary candidates is that the BDP has always believed and championed Youth empowerment, as well as a genuine respect for the political maturity and impact of the Youth. For the first time in the history of the BDP and Botswana 16 and 17 year olds will have a direct impact on the election of council and parliamentary candidates. In conclusion, as there is now a discrepancy between the BDP minimum voting age of 16 years and the General Elections minimum voting age of 18 years the Youth Wing will start an extensive consultative process to take a position as to whether the Wing should advocate to the national leadership of the party about reducing the voting age for the General Elections. Regardless of the outcome of this consultative process for a possible constitutional amendment with respect to the voting age, the BDP is and will remain the most youth friendly and truly youth representative party. No other party has through its actions either at party or national level done more to champion and progress the political and economic empowerment of our youth
