01 Oct 2024

Leaders of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and Botswana Patriot Front (BPF) have been declared as the presidential candidates for the 2024 general elections.

Their candidacy was  confirmed at the Gaborone High Court on Saturday by Chief Justice Terrence Rannowane in his capacity as the returning officer.

The four presidential candidates are: sitting President, Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi of BDP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando of BCP, Advocate Duma Boko of UDC and Mr Mephato Reatile of BPF.

The above-mentioned, Justice Rannowane declared “have been validly nominated as candidates for presidential election, by reason of having a name in a nomination paper that complies with Section 5, of the Presidential Elections (Supplementary Provisions) Act and for whom I have counted not less than 998 authenticated support papers.”

Additionally, to qualify for nomination as a presidential candidate, a candidate must be nominated by a proposer and a seconder and also by not less than 998 supporters, being persons who were registered as voters for the purpose of elections to the National Assembly, he explained.

In line with the Presidential Elections (Supplementary Provisions) Act Cap 02:01, nomination of presidential candidates followed the expiry of 20 days after dissolution of the National Assembly by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi on September 5.

Meanwhile, Justice Rannowane announced that Botswana Republican Party (BRP) leader, Mr Biggie Butale failed to qualify for nomination, as a Presidential candidate due to failure to comply with the legal requirements, as set out in the Presidential Elections Act.

“We received 987 support papers from the BRP and 979 were authenticated while eight were rejected. Therefore, Mr Butale of BRP has failed to comply with the requirements of the law- that you should be nominated by a proposer and a seconder and not less than 998 supporters. For that reason, he has failed to qualify for nomination as a presidential candidate,” he said.

“I regret this apparent figure, but then he came quite late and obviously when you come late and your papers are not in order, you have robbed yourself an opportunity to run around and try rectify the situation,” he added.

The 2024 general elections are set for October 30. Ends