- Reject the appeals outcome
- Threaten to punish the party
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
FRANCISTOWN: The dismissal of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)’s recent Moselewapula ward primary elections appeals has ignited acrimony within the party as the losers are up in arms threatening to punish their own party come the bye-elections.
In the backdrop of primary elections, a fortnight ago, all the four losing candidates rejected the results amidst claims of voter trafficking by the winner Gilbert Boikhutso. The winner became victorious after beating his rivals Joseph Mabutho, Mavis Amos, Joyce Ndove as well as Kabelo Maseko. Those who talked to this publication say most of the names that appeared on the 2014 voters roll are not of Moselewapula residents. Arguably they are convinced that the departed area councilor Lechedzani Modenga may have trafficked them from neighboring villages in order to win the 2014 general elections. At the recent primary elections that determined the BDP candidate for the looming bye-election, out of 1 411 registered members only 459 voted, a development they believe it is an indication that most of the voters were trafficked in 2014. It was on the backdrop of this that all losers lodged an appeal which was eventually dismissed due to lack of evidence.
However following the dismissal of the appeals the frustrated losers have vowed to punish the party come the bye-election. The aggrieved losers who talked to this publication anonymously accused party leadership encouraging dirty politics by failing to resolve the matter fairly. They accused the party for setting a bad precedence by failing to address the appeals. “It seems like whenever the primary elections candidates lodge protest they are taken for granted and eventually dismissed. This is evidenced by recent appeals of the opposition held constituencies that were also dismissed during the party national council. The appellants only learnt about the dismissal at the council whilst they were still awaiting the party to intervene. This time around Moselewapula appellants have also been dismissed without valid reasons. This is so frustrating because the party leaves us with no option but to retaliate. And our retaliation means working against the party during campaigns to make sure that the candidates who have been favored do not win the bye-elections,” charged some of the recent Moselewapula primary elections losers.
“Instead of listening to our concerns they rather want to believe the misleading numbers. This is going to affect the performance of the party more so that we as the losers will not support the BDP as it failed to address our concerns,” decried one of the losers.
BDP Regional Chairman Baemedi Medupi however dismissed allegations of disgruntlement over primary elections, saying they were resolved.
“All those people accepted the outcome of the appeals and no one ever showed any signs of disgruntlement therefore those who still feel aggrieved are jealous of winners. If they still feel aggrieved they have to approach the high officer instead of going around tarnishing the image of the party,” charged Medupi who added that maybe protesters have other personal problems with winners.