- All interested aspirants rejected
- Says constituency is still in consultations
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
With Konstantinos Markus and Reaoboka Mbulawa rejected, Maun East has emerged the odd one out for being without candidates after the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) released a list of candidates approved for primary elections and unopposed aspirants.
While the party has not disclosed reasons for rejecting former legislator Markus and Mbulawa, the press release with the list of approved candidates, which was issued on Monday this week, says the constituency is still in consultations about who should represent it.
Still ongoing
“It must be noted that Maun East constituency’s consultation process for parliamentary candidates is underway and democrats will be informed as soon as it is completed,” says the press release issued by BDP spokesman, Kagelelo Kentse.
Reached for comment, Kentse confirmed that expressions of interest were received from Mbulawa and Markus but said the party’s decision ought to be respected.
“It must be noted that the party has taken a decision over candidacy of those who expressed their interest,” he asserted. “Therefore, those who do not appear on the list might have not satisfied the vetting process.”
Not contestable
However, the BDP spokesman urged those vetted out not to appeal the decision because it is not contestable. “The party has taken the decision and therefore those rejected should move on in the interest of party unity,” he said.
In 2021, Markus accused the BDP of being partial to Mbulawa and said he would no longer take part in BDP primary elections.
Untruths
However, he somersaulted on this decision and announced his interest to run in the primaries two years later. Addressing the media in Maun in 2021, Markus said some people had been peddling untruths about his political ambitions.
In its vetting process, the BDP checked for active membership, criminal records, and whether the interested democrats have a traceable record for working for the party.