Botswana politician ‘admits to vote rigging’

A Botswana ruling party member has said he took part in vote rigging during the October election, reports AFP news agency.

The runner-up in the election, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), had complained they had seen irregularities in some constituencies and filed the legal challenge against the election result.

AFP says it saw an affidavit filed to court in which the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) member said he and others had ferried thousands of people to register to vote in the capital Gaborone. He reportedly added that voters would first vote at their place of origin and be transported to the second constituency to vote.

The BDP won a majority in all of Gaborone’s five constituencies, which were previously held by the opposition.

President Ian Khama’s BDP won the overall election, continuing its run in power – the BDP has been in power since Botswana gained independence in 1966.

A panel of High Court judges hearing the UDC’s petitions are set to rule within 90 days of their submission, AFP adds.

source: BBC