BNF’S ASSURANCE
Party allays fears of rigging at July congress
As the date for the Botswana National Front (BNF) elective congress draws closer by the day, more and more party activists are excitedly expressing their wishes, interests as well as their fears regarding the party congress.
The congress, which is slated for the July long weekend, possibly in Gaborone, will pit the incumbent, Advocate Duma Boko and Dr Baatlhodi Bucks Molatlhegi.. Both Boko and Molatlhegi are lawyers.
One BNF member who is jittery about the congress is Cde Vladimir, who posted his views on social media regarding the BNF Women’s League elective congress in Thamaga a few weeks ago.
After observing the Thamaga event, he wrote on social media that, “The current BNF should never again point a finger at the BDP with regard to cheating or elections rigging. Rigging does not necessarily occur during the casting of the ballot paper. It happens during the processes leading to the final process which is the actual voting. After what I saw at Thamaga yesterday, it is clear that the handlers of Dr Bonang Nkoane are very good at rigging,” claimed Cde Vladimir.
The Thamaga event, which was at the end of March, was an elective congress of the BNF Women’s’ League which was won by Dr Nkoane at the expense of Motshwariemang Kesiilwe. Cde Vladimir went on to claim that the winner’s handlers of the winning candidate, had more powers than the secretariat.
Accusing the BNF office in Gaborone of aiding corrupt practices, Cde Vladimir further said, “Apparently, the plan is to use the same approach at the youth conference and the main congress in July. There are concerns that the printing of new BNF membership cards to replace the old ones will be used to cheat those on the side of the incumbent. New membership cards are being issued but at the pace at which they are being produced, the majority of the people will not have been given their cards. Those known to support Bucks are being sidelined so that they do not come to the congress as delegates hence unable to vote,” claimed a supporter of Kesiilwe, who believes those holding old cards will not be allowed to vote as their names will not appear in the voters’ roll.
“Bucks has to be vigilant,” she warned adding that, under the circumstances where a lot of party structures have collapsed, even those not coming from a ward or constituency, should be allowed to vote under a special dispensation.
“It is also important for registration to continue at the congress. I fear that what happened in Thamaga will also happen at national congress,” she added, complaining further that even as registration is going on, she is aware that, many people are yet to obtain the new membership cards.
Dismissing the possibility of rigging, the Publicity Secretary of the BNF, Justin Hunyepa said that by their nature, elections are a controversial undertaking. “Naturally, candidates and their supporters always complain about rigging. As the BNF, we have checks and balances and hence assure all and sundry that the elections will be free and fair. Regarding the party Women’s League congress last month, we had a committee with representatives from the two divides to address the sticky issues together and resolve them. There was no cheating at the congress and there will be none at the July congress,” assured Hunyepa.