BDP primaries leave a lot to be desired
Monday, July 22, 2024 | 890 Views |
The BDP as a party known to have ample resources has always held its primaries well in time, but this time around that was not the case. The first leg of the primaries was held last weekend, with the final leg being billed for the coming weekend. This time around, the BDP failed to shine in its primary elections. The elections were chaotic; most if not all polling stations didn't open at the specified time of 6am. Loyal BDP members braved the morning cold breeze to go vote for their favourite candidate, but most ended up spending the whole day at polling stations and some were even complaining that there wasn't communication. Some unfortunately ended up giving up and going back home, something, which made candidates very uncomfortable.
One question begs for an answer: why didn’t the BDP postpone the primary elections since it clearly shows that they were not ready? The day was a horrible one for voters. Some were turned away because their names didn't appear on the voters' roll. The elderly and youth party members spent a good part of their Saturday queuing to cast their vote and some constituencies had to postpone the elections to Sunday, while others started the voting process late in the afternoon. Would it be wrong for those who lost to decry that the process wasn't fair? Not at all, because many of the BDP members ended up giving up and returning to their homes, and the issue names being omitted from the voters' rolls also comes across as something that can be seen to be giving an unfair advantage to other individuals. The number of people who couldn't cast their votes because their names weren't on the voters' roll is a lot and those who lost can easily use it as a leg to stand on.
These roads, which are vital conduits for trade and tourism, have long been in dire need of repair. However, while this development is undoubtedly a positive step, it also raises questions about broader issues of infrastructural management and road safety that deserve closer scrutiny.The A3 and A33 roads are not just any roads, they are critical arteries that connect Botswana to its neighbours and facilitate the movement of goods and people...