The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has resolved to conduct a re-run of council primary elections for three wards. The council primary election re-runs are scheduled for Tati Town ward in the Francistown West constituency, as well as Tutume North and Tutume West wards in the Nkange constituency. These re-runs are set to take place on April 6th. In Tati Town, the re-run will feature two aspiring council candidates, Beard Maja and Odirile Masebu.
The decision to conduct a primary election repeat in Tati Town stemmed from irregularities during the initial phase of the party's primary election for the ward, according to Vain Mamela, the BCPs director of elections. Maja emerged as the winner in the initial primary election with 75 votes to Masebus 70.
Following the first primary election, Masebu formally raised concerns to the party, alleging that the elections were not conducted in a free and fair manner as stipulated by the BCP's constitution. Mamela stated that the polling station for the initial primary election in Tati Town was closed prematurely, prompting the presiding officer to extend the voting time.
Mamela also noted instances of intimidation, leading the BCP's elections appeals tribunal to call for a re-run of the primaries in Tati Town. He emphasized that while primary elections proceeded smoothly in most areas, challenges were encountered in Tati Town, Tutume West, and Tutume North wards. Consequently, the party's elections appeal tribunal deemed it necessary to conduct primary election re-runs in these wards in accordance with the partys constitution.
Regarding the decision to conduct primary election re-runs for Tutume North and Tutume West, Mamela explained that the individual overseeing the BCP's internal polls had used incorrect voters' rolls. "The person in charge of the initial primary elections in these wards misplaced the voters rolls and opted to use outdated ones," he said. This decision risked disenfranchising newly registered party members. Therefore, the party opted for these re-runs to ensure members could exercise their right to choose their preferred candidates.
