As the ruling Botswana Democratic Party(BDP) readies for its primaries, the party has announced it will take stern action against candidates who flout the party’s primary elections rules and regulations.
This has been revealed by party chairman, Guma Moyo.
Moyo said that the party will not hesitate to withdraw a candidate from the race.
The party summed up the vetting exercise on Monday and opened the gameway for campaigns and lobbies.
“I can confirm for the record that the vetting has been concluded and we have sent the names to the constituency committee to notify the candidates,” said Moyo in an interview with The Telegraph.
The party intends to hold two batches of primaries; one in the North and another in the South
Moyo also confirmed that MP Master Goyo whose own Palapye constituency had booted him out had been pardoned to contest.
Goya was accused by the branch committee of violating primary elections rules by printing T-shirts and other party regalia bearing his name. He was also charged with distributing the same material among his supporters.
The central committee has also overruled the Tswapong North branch committee and instead allowed MP Prince Maele to run for primaries.
His tussle with the branch committee is also exacerbated by allegations that ever since he was voted into office as Palapye legislator he has never assisted the branch committee financially.
Moyo said that as the campaign season opens the party’s primary elections rules and regulations are clear and should be followed.
“There are no political rallies, no idividualised machandise,no personal attack…we expect the campaign to go smoothly as the different candidates conduct an ordinary door to door campaign,” said Moyo.
He also said that the party will confirm the election date sometimes next month after a verified voter’s roll has been compiled.
Moyo said that the leadership is impressed with the candidates’ turnout for application to run for the primaries adding that the BDP is hopeful that the activists will promote and sell the party ahead of the 2014 general elections.
