16 Sep 2014

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama has warned electorates to guard against independent candidates who use his name and that of the party to lure electorates to vote for them.

Addressing a star rally in Malaka recently, President Khama said it was not true that he supported independent candidates. He called on democrats to shun independent candidates who claimed to be representing the BDP, labeling them as power hungry individuals who could not form a government.

Voting for independent candidates would be a waste of votes, he added. President Khama said people who decided to be independent candidates after the BDP primary elections would never be allowed back into the party.

Such a decision, he said, was taken by the party’s central committee and the BDP council.  The BDP leader said a committee had been set that would find out how Bulela Ditswe system could be improved, after realising that every primary elections resulted in divisions among the party members.

President Khama said that the BDP had succeeded in dealing with the factions and only left with improving Bulela Ditswe. For his part, the prospective parliamentary candidate for Bobonong, Mr Shaw Kgathi appealed to the democrats to vote for the party’s BDP prospective parliamentary candidate for Lerala/Maunatlala, Mr Prince Maele in large numbers.

He said Mr Maele was a hard worker who has made sure that his constituents benefit from the government initiatives. He also ensured that Tswapong North got developments such as water, schools, connection of electricity, tarred roads and health facilities.

Mr Kgathi said if the constituents vote for him he would continue to bring the developments to the area.

Another speaker, prospective parliamentary candidate for Mahalapye East, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso said that the BDP members should correct the mistake they made in 2009 by voting the independent candidate for Lecheng/Malaka council ward.

She urged them to vote in large numbers to re-claim the ward from the independent candidate.

Also speaking at the rally, the BDP secretary general, Mr Mpho Balopi appealed to the constituents to vote for BDP in large numbers because it has a track record.

He said the constituents should not be confused by the opposition parties who ask them to vote for them. Ends