Battle For Presidency Ensues
Oarabile Mosikare | Monday September 22, 2014 17:05
The Botswana Congress Party president Saleshando was accompanied by his wife Dineo and their three children for the nomination. The family was escorted by their jubilant supporters after submitting nominations papers. He later addressed a press conference outside their recently unveiled Rea Fenya tour bus. Later, the bus left in a motorcade to kickstart the Rea Fenya presidential tour to Kanye North for the launch of constituency candidate, Kentse Rammidi.
Vice president Ponatshego Kedikilwe represented the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) candidate Ian Khama who was not in attendance. The red brigade was also all over the place singing party songs during the counting of nomination papers. The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) presidential hopeful, Duma Boko was all smiles since his supporters came in droves to give him moral support. He was seen moving from one crowd to another greeting and chatting with his followers in their yellow, black and orange colours.
Supporters of all parties mingled freely and exchanged political banter.
The nomination to signal the battle for State House was completed before lunchtime and at 2pm the High Court was deserted except for the security officers, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and the Chief Justice Maruping Dibotelo who knocked off at 5pm.
Dibotelo confirmed, in his capacity as the returning officer, of having received appropriate nomination papers from Khama, Boko and Saleshando for the Office of President (OP) in the October 24 general elections.
This is the first time that the UDC will be contesting in the national elections. The party, made up of Botswana National Front, The Botswana Movement For Democracy, and the Botswana People’s Party was formed to approach this year’s elections as a united force by the opposition.