The Secretariat of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) will today launch investigations into the recent mayoral elections in which newly elected Mayor, Lekang Mukokomani, voted for an opposition councillor to be Deputy Mayor.

BDP councillors were shocked when the Mayor cast his deciding vote in favour of the candidate of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) after the votes for deputy Mayor tied between the two parties.

The Executive Secretary of the BDP, Dr Comma Serema, confirmed in an interview yesterday that investigations into the issue would be launched today. "What happened is not normal," Serema said. "But I cannot comment further because investigations will start tomorrow, whereupon I will meet and talk to our councillors."

The Chairman of the BOMASE Region of the BDP, Nathniel Moribame, said he had just heard about the gubernatorial elections and that if it was true that a BDP councillor had voted along with the opposition, it was a serious issue indeed. "The party will seriously look into the matter," Moribame said.

He informed Mmegi that they had held a caucus in Selebi-Phikwe prior to the mayoral elections and that all councillors were expected to adhere to the resolutions of that caucus. If Mukokomani is found guilty, he will be disciplined accordingly, he added.

But Mukokomani was defiant yesterday: "I stand by my decision," he said boldly. "Infact, I would be happy if the party came to investigate."

He also said BDP councillors had caucused and resolved to vote en bloc prior to the mayoral elections. In terms of the caucus, Tebogo Matlhogonolo was to be elected Mayor and he, Mukokomani, deputy Mayor. However, a group of councillors had subsequently held a secret rendezvous with "external forces" and conspired against the resolution.

Mukokomani said it was interesting that his fellow BDP councillors should find his actions in the elections astonishing when they did not find their defiance of their own caucus decision astonishing.

"It is up to the party to decide who was right," he declared. "I had to make a decision and I believe the decision I made was a good one." Meanwhile, the Publicity and Information Secretary of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Dumelang Saleshando, is elated over what happened in the chambers of the Selebi-Phikwe Town Council on Monday. "It's only fair when you look at the results of the general elections," Saleshando said. "You will remember that the electorate in both Selebi-Phikwe East and Selebi-Phikwe West gave the BDP and the BCP seven councillors each.

"Since the electorate clearly wanted both the BDP and BCP to run the council together, Mukokomani's behaviour was a confirmation of the wishes of the people. If they (the BDP) expel him, we will talk to him to spare him the humiliation that some of his colleagues have suffered."

* After the general elections, the ruling party appointed two people to each council countrywide. While this is in accordance with a legal provision, it is becoming increasingly unpopular, even with the BDP.