05 Feb 2017

Mr Elija Katse has won the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primary elections for Tlokweng, which were held on Saturday.

Mr Katse, who will represent BDP in the looming Tlokweng constituency bye election edged out Mr Thulaganyo Segokgo and Dr Phinious Molefe.

He got 526 votes against Mr Segokgo’s 302 and Dr Molefe’s 94 votes out of the 922 votes counted. Four votes were counted spoiled and six scraps.

In his address to the democrats after being declared the winner, Mr Katse said the primary elections were part of the party democratic process and democracy has prevailed.

He said all of the three and the two who dropped out of the race after consultations believed they have the capability to lead the party in the bye-elections.

“We all believed that we were all equally capable and credible to lead the BDP into the bye-election,” said Mr Katse.

He pledged to work with the other candidates to ensure that the party faces the opposition as a united force.

For his part, Mr Segokgo said the Tlokweng BDP members have identified their preferred candidate and he accepted that.

He pledged his support to the winner, accepted the results and promised to work with the winner for the benefit of the party.

Dr Molefe also conceded the defeat and pledged to work with Mr Katse saying the BDP has to emerge as the outmost winner.

The elections returning officer, Mr Lesego Raditanka encouraged the democrats to embrace each other and work together for the party, adding that there is no winner in the primary elections.

He said they have to face their opponents as a united force, saying division within the party sows disunity and leads to the party loosing elections.

Mr Raditanka encouraged Mr Katse to work closely with the other contestants saying he alone cannot afford to win back the constituency from the opposition.

 “We are all BDP members, friction of ideas should not mean rivalry,” cautioned Mr Raditanka..

At the end, he said the party constitution highlights that those who might feel aggrieved during the primary election are free to lodge their complaints to the region within seven days in writing.

Mr Katse is to face the Umbrella for Democratic Change’s (UDC) candidate, Mr Kenneth Segokgo.

The looming bye-election follows the death of UDC’s area Member of Parliament, Ms Same Bathobakae who died in November last year. ENDS