Gaborone - Newly re-elected Botswana President Ian Khama is suing the country’s political parties, including his own, apparently to try to ensure that his brother is elected as vice-president.
Khama’s unprecedented move is disrupting the democratic process after last week’s elections and delaying the work of the new parliament.
He was indirectly elected to a second term by the new parliament on Sunday and inaugurated on Tuesday.
Now parliament has to elect a vice-president, who will be nominated by Khama, and a speaker and deputy speaker.
These officials are normally elected openly by a show of hands. But the new parliament has amended its standing orders so that it can elect the officials by secret ballot.
Khama’s attorney-general has responded by suing the parliamentary parties - including Khama’s own ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) - for changing the standing orders, arguing that the move was unconstitutional.
He is asking Botswana’s High Court to overrule the parties and reinstate the old system of voting by a show of hands.
It is widely believed that Khama wants to appoint his younger brother, Tshekedi, as vice-president, but that he suspects he will not be a popular choice.
The BDP won 37 of the 57 seats in parliament, followed by the newly formed Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition with 17 seats, and the Botswana Congress Party with three seats. - Independent Foreign Service
The Mercury