Botswana Democratic Party Parliamentary Candidate for South East North, Elijah Katse may be expelled from the party following recommendations by a committee that was assigned to investigate allegations of vote rigging during the constituency primary elections. Katse defeated the incumbent constituency MP and President Ian Khama’s loyalist Olebile Gaborone during the constituency primary elections earlier this year.
BDP Secretary General, Mpho Balopi confirmed that investigations are ongoing following appeal among some candidates who stood for Bulela Ditswe.
Balopi stated that the committee has since submitted a preliminary report. Quizzed on allegations that the preliminary report recommended that Katse be dismissed from the party, Balopi said the party has rules, regulations and a code of conduct governing primary elections.
“In this particular incident there were strong allegations that prompted the investigations. The committee has since submitted the preliminary findings but the committee has since gone back for further investigations and will compile a full report which will be submitted to the Central Committee. He said so far the recommendation that the committee has since submitted to Central Committee was not conclusive.
Balopi said there was a process that will be followed after a full report is submitted. Gaborone said he would not discuss party internal issues in the private media, while efforts to reach Katse were futile.
