BPF primaries reruns challenged, cancelled
Spira Tlhankane | Tuesday August 27, 2024 14:55
The decision to conduct reruns came after last month’s highly-attended primary elections in Serowe were marred by rigging allegations, leading to delays in announcing some of the results. The BPF was supposed to clean up its primary elections malpractice mess in Serowe last weekend but the party’s secretary-general Lawrence Ookeditse released a last-minute memo on Friday indicating that the reruns have been cancelled. “Addressees are hereby notified that election reruns that had been scheduled for Serowe and other constituencies/wards have been cancelled. The reruns have been challenged by some party members and the NEC has since made a decision to rescind its resolution to allow other structures and processes to take place.
Further details shall follow on these,” Ookeditse said in a memo addressed to all party structures, organs, and members. He indicated that fresh elections that were scheduled for other wards are now postponed to August 31, 2024. “The NEC regrets any inconveniences that may occasion as a result of these decisions,” he said. The cancellation and postponement came after the BPF National Executive Committee (NEC) had ordered a fresh rerun of primary elections in some constituencies and wards scheduled for August 24. For the Serowe North constituency, there were supposed to be reruns only for council candidates in Motetshwane and Swaneng. Incumbent Serowe North legislator, Baratiwa Mathoothe, was already declared a winner from last month’s primaries after defeating Babotseng Thaka with 2,617 votes to 708 votes. Serowe West was supposed to hold reruns for parliamentary candidates and a council candidate in Malatswai.
Incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Serowe West, Onalepelo Kedikilwe, was facing Gaotilwe Omphile in the primaries. Kedikilwe won last year’s by-election retaining the constituency after Tshekedi Khama, was disqualified for having failed to attend three consecutive sittings of the National Assembly. Serowe South was also scheduled for a rerun for MP candidates and council candidates. Incumbent Serowe South MP, Leepetswe Lesedi, was challenged by Dr Kolaatamo Malefho and Prince Moitoi in the primaries. There were also planned reruns in Lentsweletau/Lephephe consistency.