Selebi-Phikwe — Apathy marred the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) primary elections in the Selebi-Phikwe West constituency where a sitting councillor was sent tumbling out.

Sesame South councillor Mookami Mmusi lost to Godfrey Mbaiwa who garnered 79 votes against 71. Third contestant Matshidiso Kgabi got 31 votes. However, voting in all the four out of seven contested wards was marred by a poor turnout.

Three candidates in Selebi-Phikwe West, including the Member of Parliament (MP) Kavis Kario, were unopposed.

Presiding officer Caroline Lesang warned BDP members to guard against apathy as it might undermine their chances in the 2009 general election. All Selebi-Phikwe West wards except Tlhakadiawa and Leseding are in the hands of the BDP.

"The turnout was disappointing. I would urge you to encourage other members to vote in large numbers in 2009 or we risk losing seats to the opposition," Lesang warned.

She also expressed concern at the number of spoilt votes and said BDP members should be taught how to vote. Lesang said spoilt votes are likely to cost the party during the general election.

Out of 3,900 ballot papers issued, only 671 were used.

In Hospital ward, 800 ballot papers were issued out of which 633 were returned. So only 167 people voted with 30 spoilt votes and three discarded as scrap votes.

Former mayor Molosiwa Molosiwa, who was expected to have a tough fight against Barongwa Kalayakgosi, romped to victory with 98 votes against 64.

Kalayakgosi was the only candidate absent when the results were announced at Anderson Primary School. In Bontleng ward, 1,500 papers were issued with 1, 268 returned unused. There were 232 votes with one spoilt and no scrap. Incumbent councillor Tshiamo Ikaneng managed to ward off Patrick Philip's challenge, winning 144-87.

Philip was expected to give Ikaneng a tough contest and some BDP members had predicted that the Bontleng councillor would lose.

In Sesame South, 800 votes were issued but only 187 people cast their votes. Kopano ward, which houses predominantly BCL employees, recorded the lowest number of votes. Out of 800 ballot papers issued, only 85 were used. There was one spoilt vote and four scrap which left only 80 valid papers.

Kopano councillor Mogae Ketshogile easily beat Kedireng Kepaletswe 55-25. Kepaletswe and Matshidiso were the only two women candidates and both fared badly.

Specially nominated councillor Benjamin Bagayi was unopposed in Tlhakadiawa and so was Kagiso Sesame councillor, Tebogo Matlhogonolo.

Alfred Letsholathebe will be attempting to wrestle Leseding from the opposition Botswana Congress Party (BCP) as he was unopposed in the BDP primaries.