The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has, in a stunning turn of events, rejected Umbrella For Democratic Change (UDC) council candidates in two critical wards in the Northwest District.
The mix-up happened in the Nxaraga-Komana ward of Maun West and Moeti ward in Maun North constituency, leaving UDC out of the race in these areas for the upcoming general elections.
This was after two council candidates from the same party showed up for nomination at the same ward last week Friday.
Nominations for the coming general elections for both Parliamentary and Council candidates were done and closed on October 4th, 2024, ahead of election day; 30th October 2024.
By close of nominations on Friday, notice of candidates at Moeti ward did not reflect any UDC candidates but rather those representing three other political parties, Botswana Democratic Party, Botswana Congress Party and Botswana Patriotic Front.
UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa downplayed the crisis, insisting the issue was resolved. “There was a dispute in the wards that you are referring to. The matter was then escalated to the party president, Cde Duma Boko. For some reason he was given some letters to sign for people who were not supposed to be signed for. When this was realised, a letter was written to the returning officer indicating who the proper candidates were.”
Botswana National Front (BNF) and Alliance for Progressives (AP) are contesting for 2024 general elections under the opposition unity banner, UDC.
Duma Boko is the leader of both BNF and UDC.
On the other side, AP leadership is said to have written a different letter indicating who the rightful candidates were.
AP Secretary General, Phenyo Butale confirmed that he issued confirmation letters for their candidates. “I wrote the confirmation letters because those wards were allocated to AP. That is what I was affirming so I don’t know who could have written the contrary.”
