The verdict on Tlou’s protest is expected anytime this week after the matter was attended to by some members of the BDP Central Committee this past Saturday. The Minister has to overcome a negative public perception concerning her protest and a possibility of facing the winner alone.

Minister Tlou protested the results after allegations of people campaigning during the voting process and calculated retention of voters. There are allegations that some members of the BDP had their official membership cards withheld during the polling day making it impossible for them to vote.

Specially elected MP Tlou lost to Master Goya who garnered 633 votes. Tlou was close in the second spot with 627. Two other candidates, Mogano and Isaac Maforaga came a distant third and fourth with 88 and 76 votes respectively.

Information reaching The Gazette suggests that the two other candidates are likely to pull out of the race should there be a call for a re-run. Some BDP members in the area suspect that the two might throw their weight behind Goya.

Goya who is said to have had the support of former area MP, Boyce Sebetela all along is also said to be likely to benefit from the fact that some people who had voted Tlou initially could choose not to vote since their preferred candidate is a likely loser. But on the other hand Tlou is encouraged by the small margin and is convinced that if the election is conducted smoothly she has a good chance of winning. The professor started campaigning in the area way before the announcement of Sebetela’s resignation from Parliament and the understanding was that she was plotting to oust Sebetela in 2009.

Tlou said it would be better to win the constituency now rather than in the 2008 primary elections because any person who will grab the constituency now will be rooted with the people and it will be difficult to remove him or her in 2008. At the moment Tlou is said to be having the support of most of the central committee members and she is most likely to get a fair trial because of her factional allegiance (Nkate-Merafhe).

Meanwhile Goya is said to be confident of a repeat triumph should the central committee order a re-run. In Letlhakeng both constituencies are poised for a re-run of parliamentary primary elections and one council ward primary election.

The protests will be heard on Saturday. The complainants cite calculated voter retention and dirty tricks during the voting process. Kweneng Regional Secretary Kgang Kgang could not confirm or deny the date of the hearing but acknowledged that there were protests.