Despite the Umbrella For Democratic Change (UDC) ‘s landslide victory in last week’s elections, the party’s candidate in Thamaga-Kumakwane Constituency, Kopano Rannatshe is not a happy man.
Rannatshe who was trounced by Botswana Democratic Party’ s Palelo Keitseope Motaosane who garnered 8310 votes while he (Rannatshe) only managed a little over 6 000 has protested the results of the election, citing many irregularities.
Speaking in an interview Rannatshe pointed out that from the beginning during the Advance poll, which catered for all civil servants and polling officers, there were so many irregularities which marred the election.
Other complaints which he filed with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) include allegations that BDP cadres wearing party regalia campaigned in Gakgatla ward and a BDP car branded with party colours transported voters to a polling station in one settlement.
Prior to the elections on October, 20, Rannatshe was accused of snatching the ballot papers which were marked and unmarked, something which forced a manhunt by the police.
One of Rannatshe’s key grievances is that his phone was confiscated without a court order something which he said disadvantaged his campaign.
“I had close to 7000 contacts in my phone whom I was engaging trying to convince them to vote for me. Also my budget was in there but I couldn’t access it. Further, we are told four ballots are missing ,where are they? All these are some of the things which influenced the outcome of the elections, therefore my right to stand for elections has been trampled upon,” said Rannatshe adding that he is grateful that the polling officer accepted his letter of protest and gave him the go ahead to engage the courts of law.
However, Rannatshe said he will engage his party before taking the legal route.
Another candidate, Seatla Mookodi of Botswana Congress Party expressed his grievances about the election outcome outlining that he does not accept the results as well.
“I’m not happy with the administration of the elections though people have voted. This issue where ballots were taken is not given the seriousness it deserves, we got to the elections while it was not addressed. The IEC just left it to the police ,but what message are we sending out there?
Other thing is that some polling stations used two streams which created chaos after queues where divided, so many people ended up leaving without voting. And some of polling stations like at Letlole JSS it was just a tent outside the school premises while classrooms were available so people had to stand in this scorching heat. Therefore I’m going to write a letter to IEC to express my displeasure, “said Mookodi .
As a result ,Motaosane was the only one who accepted and signed for the results. As a result ,Motaosane who served as a a member of Parliament for the constituency from 2019-2024, returns to parliament for a second term albeit this time around as an opposition MP following BDP’s poor showing during the polls.
“I have worked hard on the ground so I’m not surprised that I emerged the victorious. What surprised me is the number of people who voted UDC because I was targeting around 10 000 votes for myself. I am also going to seek guidance from the party to rebuild BDP in the Constituency in order to be solid once more in 2029,” he added.
