UDC, Khama marriage unsettles BPP
Lebogang Mosikare | Monday January 24, 2022 06:00
The Botswana People’s Party (BPP) lamented the status quo at its national executive committee (NEC) meeting that was held recently at Selepa Hotel. Following that, the BPP will table the issue for discussion at the next UDC NEC meeting slated for January 29, 2022 in Gaborone. A BPP source who attended the party’s weekend meeting told Mmegi that Khama’s relationship with the UDC is still a divisive and confusing issue within the UDC ranks and as such it should be addressed urgently before it polarises the UDC any further.
Khama is the founding patron of the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), which is in the process of formally being part of the UDC as it is the case with another opposition party, the Alliance for Progressives (AP). In 2020 the UDC, BPF and AP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work together in all by-elections in the build up to the 2024 general election.
The signing of the MoU has emboldened the opposition ranks in Botswana in the quest to win elections.. Political analysts and the public at large view the signing of the MoU as a great opportunity that the opposition must fully make use of if they want to one day ascend to the hallowed reigns of power. During the BPP’s weekend meeting, a BPP insider further told Mmegi that the party is still having reservations about the UDC and Khama’s relationship because they used to severely criticise Khama over the way he was running the country during his presidency but were now working closely with him. “Our relationship with former president Khama is still confusing the public (voters).
There is a general feeling among some sections of the public that the UDC’s relationship with Khama may have cost it electoral fortunes mostly in the southern part of the country where its member (BNF) used to dominate. Some people are of the view that working with Khama is an antithesis of the ideals of the UDC because in the past, it promised to prosecute Khama for his alleged criminal conduct once it assumes the reigns of power but the UDC has now made a U-turn and is cosying up to Khama,” the source cried out.
As a result of the confusion that is currently lingering in the minds of some voters because of Khama’s relationship with the UDC, the BPP wants the UDC to bring the Khama matter to finality, according to the source. Another burning item that was on the agenda of the BPP during its weekend retreat is the issue of “non-interference in internal affairs of the UDC affiliates”. During the last general election, the BPP felt hard done by the UDC after the latter lifted the suspension of Mbaakanyi Lenyatso, a BPP member from standing as a parliamentary candidate for the UDC at Francistown West. To prevent any potential squaring off between the UDC and its affiliates in future in matters similar to the Lenyatso one, the BPP is of the view that the former should respect internal decisions of its affiliates. “As political parties, we sometimes take internal decisions that affect our members. We will therefore, plead with the UDC NEC to show commitment by abiding with our internal decisions and guaranteeing that it (UDC) will respect our decisions and will never bulldoze us again in future. Interfering with internal decisions of its affiliates has the potential to cause fissures with far reaching consequences within the coalition if the UDC does not respect internal decisions of its constituent members.
Truly speaking, the UDC has no mandate to interfere with internal decisions of its affiliates and it should do so in the spirit and letter that enticed us to join it,” the source stated.
The BPP, the source added, also wants the UDC to deal with the issue of the BPF and AP joining it (UDC) urgently to allow it to have more time to deal with its internal and national issues without many distractions. “The sooner we deal with the issue of the BPF and AP joining us the better. Dealing with this matter on urgency will not only give the UDC more time to deal with pressing national issues but will do likewise to its affiliates. The preparations of the 2024 general election should start in earnest very early if the opposition collective wants to wrestle the government from the BDP,” the source added. The leader of the BPP Motlatsi Molapise refused to shed light on what was discussed at the party’s weekend meeting when he was contacted.