BCP withdraws Delimitation Bill

OARABILE MOSIKARE
Staff Writer | Wednesday January 9, 2013 00:00

 

Initially the BCP was of the view that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) was misled to think it executed its mandate in accordance with the Constitution of Botswana in appointing the Delimitation Commission. The secretary general of the BCP, Kesitegile Gobotswang, last year even wrote to the chairperson of the JSC, Chief Justice Maruping Dibotelo, about certain irregularities in appointing the Delimitation Commission.

The BCP president Dumelang Saleshando has said his party has decided to withdraw the Bill after they realised that the Constitution had other provisions that allow for delimitation of constituencies. The party had wanted 10 additional constituencies to their current 59 constituencies.

According to section 64 of the Constitution, Parliament can make provision to alter the number of constituencies and the JSC can also set up a delimitation commission after a comprehensive national census.Saleshando said on further reflection, if the two constitutional provisions run parallel; it can cause a constitutional crisis. Initially, the BCP was of the view that the Parliament has the sole power to divide constituencies and the delimitation commission has no such power. But it has since conceded its initial viewpoint.