To date the ruling BDP continues to battle Bulela Ditswe complaints, which is characterized by those who lost feeling that they have been disadvantaged and deciding to contest as independent candidates while some jump ship to join the opposition. Francistown South Bulela Ditswe Parliamentary candidate Modiri Jojo Lucas is one notable former BDP members who joined the opposition Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) as Parliamentary candidate. Lucas lost to Solomon Reikeletseng and lodged an appeal protesting the results, which was unsuccessful.
Captured
According to Palai, the primary elections processes was captured, and the voters roll was manipulated y the lower structures such as cell and wards in favour of those who were preferred to win by the wards committee leadership.
He said his ward, Diphetogo is new after it was established due to 2023 delimitation exercise and merged with Mosekangwetsi ward under which he contested 2019 elections for and emerged victorious. “I have withdrawn from primary elections because I couldn’t take part in a flawed process. Lot of names were missing from the voters roll and even my name as candidate was misplaced and not appearing in Diphetogo ward voters’ roll. I then decided to withdraw from Bulela Ditswe which was corrupt,” he said.
In addition, Palai said he wrote complainant letters to the BDP structures over the voters roll situation, but he was not responded to, adding that suggested that BDP didn’t take him serious as its member.
“ I don’t have any problem with the party leadership, but my problem is with members of the structures who are being influenced by some of our members to frustrate others who want to contest in an open democratic process such as Bulela Ditswe. Our structures should be transparent and exercise fairness,” said Palai.
He said he has not officially resigned his membership from BDP but said his decision to withdraw from the party primary elections indicate that he is not happy with how the party deal with issues that he had brought forward for resolution.
Candidacy
Meanwhile, Palai has said he would emerge victorious as an independent candidate as majority of his supporters has endorsed his decision to contest for elections as an independent candidate or mokoko.
He noted that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has received his application to contest for elections as an independent candidate. According to Palai, he would consult with the community whether he should return to BDP if he wins elections. “ I am so prepared, and I have no doubt that Diphetogo people will re-elect me again to be their leader. I worked well with thecommunity in pushing for community projects touching the lives of our elders and youth from education, health, sport and arts and informal sector to mention but a few,” Palai buttressed.
Palai said some of the notable developments in the ward include installation of 63 solar streetlights, paving of internal roads funded by Gaborone City Council (GCC), maintenance of Gaborone bus rank toilets and market stalls and outsourcing of waste management to the private sector etc.