07 Sep 2014

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama says the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) will not rig the October 24 general elections.

Speaking during the BDP star rally in Bobonong on September 4, President Khama said the ruling party could not rig the elections since they were administered by an Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

President Khama,said IEC commissioners were appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, not by the ruling party. He said the claims were not new and cited that in the past the Permanent Secretary to President (PSP) who used to supervise elections, was also accused by opposition for helping the ruling party win the elections.

Also, he said the ruling party was accused of only appealing to elderly people by opposition, who demanded that voting age be reduced to 18 years, but opposition still failed to win the hearts of Batswana to overthrow BDP. He said in the past, a disk resembling different parties was used. 

Nonetheless, he pointed out that BDP was accused of secretly using a red powder to change the colour of other disks.

As a result, he said a ballot paper was introduced. Still, he pointed out that the opposition parties had also accused BDP of cheating during the elections. He said all baseless claims by opposition were meant to make people desert BDP, but they had failed to win the hearts of Batswana.

President Khama said opposition parties were losing members to BDP because they make baseless claims and empty promises, but had no alternative programmes. 

BDP, he said, was a growing and appealing party as witnessed by the high numbers of the youth and the old that continue to follow it.

However, the president expressed concern about some media houses that connive with opposition to accuse his leadership and government of corruption. He said such media houses were using his name to sell their newspapers.

“Recently one story was carried in the private media that I was involved in a road accident in a vehicle I was driving, but that was a fallacy as I was not even a passenger in that vehicle and wondered why a Motswana journalist could write such a malicious and damaging story.” 

He however said Batswana were wise enough to know the truth.

“As a nation we should have an identity and be guided by the principle of Botho.” President Khama said being in a democratic country does not give others a freedom and right to insult, disrespect or peddle untruth about other people. 

He stated that newspapers were read all over the world, which might give outsiders a wrong impression about Botswana as a country. Ends