11 Apr 2016

The secretary of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in the Bobirwa, Mmadinare and Selebi Phikwe (BOMASE) region has appealed to candidates that engage in party’s primary elections to support one another.

Speaking during a seminar at Rasetimela ward in Bobonong Saturday, Mr Abraham Chakalisa, said BDP had lost some constituencies and wards not because opposition had made inroads but due to failure to rally behind the primary elections winners. 

Mr Chakalisa said losing candidates must understand that there were duty bound to work for the party rather that incite factions that in the end were detriment to the success of the organisation. 

He was concerned that some losing members were hard to accept the verdict and were the ones that decampaigned others and advised that they must be the first people to rally behind the winner. 

However, he said the party had since realised that some people did not support other members merely because of lack of voter education which through the workshops the party would continue to spread the message of togetherness. 

He implored party members to work an extra mile because the party has set another target dubbed ‘our structures our strength to another 50 years of governance’. Mr Chakalisa told the workshop that BDP has not lost focus, and remain an organisation which was still appealing to the nation and urged the party’s youth members to revive their structures and show commitment. Concerning membership, he stated that each and every party member must have a valid membership which would be renewed annually.

He implored wards and branches to begin to register members so that the party prepare for an effective database and a voters roll that would curb reported incidents of voter trafficking.

Mr Chakalisa said if membership starts from ward levels where almost people know each other such incidents of trafficking can be dealt with.Further he advised wards and branches to have disciplinary hearing mechanisms to deal with misbehaving members. Ends