This follows BDP internal communication spokesperson Kagelelo Kentse’s recent remarks in which he was quoted by the local media as saying that “if regions voted one candidate with over 50 percent then that candidate will emerge as the winner,” suggesting that the election for the party’s presidency would be conducted by a show of hands rather than by a secret ballot as per the BDP constitution.
Responding to these reports, Venson-Moitoi shot down such suggestions via a comment on her Facebook page on Tuesday.
She cited article 29.1 of the BDP constitution which states that “the president of the party should be elected by secret ballot at the next national congress ahead of the general election.”
Responding to this, Vesnson Moitoi said that if a presidential candidate of the BDP were to be elected via a show of hands this would be in contravention of the BDP constitution.
“For those suggesting that we should not apply this article (29.1) for fear of party disunity in our party, they have not yet read the constitution of the BDP,” she said.
It is not a tradition that the ruling BDP should be challenged for party’s presidency.