BDP wars escalate in Tonota

Source: Mmegi Online
Author: Chakalisa Dube

FRANCISTOWN: The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)'s Setshege Tapela has written a letter to the party complaining about his opponent for the upcoming primaries, Andy Boatile, who he accuses of capturing key party structures in the Tonota constituency to gain an unfair advantage.

The complaint letter is addressed to the Francistown region committee. Boatile and Tapela were recently vetted in to contest the BDP primaries to decide the party's candidate for the Tonota constituency at the 2024 General Election. The date for the primaries is yet to be set.

Tapela also alleges that the party's Tonota branch vice chairperson and vice secretary who are in charge of registration of members ahead of the primaries are deeply conflicted since they are Boatile's supporters. He even accuses the duo of allegedly doing all they can to obstruct his efforts to register new members who are intent on voting him at the primaries to give Boatile an upper hand. "Most of the people whom I have recruited to join the party were not registered. About 100 people were sent back, with a reason that they are members of opposition parties.