TEMPERS are flying off the handle as polling day, October 16, approaches. In a statement, the Director of Broadcasting Services, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo, accused members of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) of causing chaos at Botswana Television studios before a live broadcast of a political debate, writes Bame Piet in Mmegi.
This week's programme featured the BCP, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), the Botswana National Front (BNF), the Botswana People's Party (BPP) and MELS.
Kaboeamodimo says the programme had to be delayed by up to half an hour due to an uncontrollable situation occasioned by supporters of the BCP at the Btv auditorium.
He says he was informed that supporters of the BCP had occupied the Btv auditorium in excess of allocated numbers and were not willing to share space with other people attending the debates inspite of what was agreed with the participating parties prior to the debate.
Kaboeamodimo says the Publicity Secretary of the BCP, Dumelang Saleshando, who was present, did nothing to control his party's supporters until he was urged to do so by Btv producers.
In response, Saleshando has characterised Kaboeamodimo as a liar under pressure to please the ruling BDP. "I can confirm to you that Kaboeamodimo was not present at the debates," he says. "He is a liar who is under pressure to please the BDP."
However, Saleshando acknowledges that BCP followers came in large numbers, but says that other parties have done the same in the past and were never asked to scale down. After being asked to talk to the BCP followers, he did so and his party's supporters had left the auditorium without incident. Otherwise, the alleged disruption could have been aired because the debates were broadcast live.
Click here to read the full report, posted on allafrica.com.
