How the BDP stumbled
Chakalisa Dube | Monday November 11, 2024 17:10
Internal feuds Since the party’s president Mokgweetsi Masisi took over the reins at the BDP, it has been rocked by intra-party disputes resulting in severe instability. Masisi himself appeared to be less committed to ensuring that there is peace within the party. It appeared he favoured certain personalities at the expense of others who have fairly worked for the party. The likes of Mpho Balopi and other party veterans who were integral to the party’s victory at the 2019 polls were sidelined owing to their reported poor relationship with Masisi. Without experienced and versatile politicians who understand the grassroots, the BDP lost touch with the voters, something that might have contributed to its dismal performance at this year’s polls.
Weak communication teamsThe other weakness of the BDP was its communications wing which appeared unworried over the deteriorating state of the party. It limited its mandate to releasing routine communications such as calling press conferences and did not do enough to counter narratives that were spewed to soil the image of the ruling party. While the BDP had a strong online presence individual candidates failed to utilise social media platforms to engage voters. On the flip side, opposition parties most notable the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) candidates dominated the social media space in a bid to drum up support for their parties.
Disconnection with reality One of the factors that presumptuously weakened the BDP prospects of winning this year’s general election is the total disconnection with the voters. The BDP appeared to be out of touch with the real issues that concern Batswana. The presidential debate days before the General Election to a certain degree proved that the ruling party did not understand the plight of Batswana. Masisi appeared to be struggling to share the party’s aspirations for Batswana especially creating jobs and improving the economy. Masisi even received wider criticism during the debate, for suggesting that one of the achievements of the ruling party included creating jobs at a car wash. This further weakened the credibility of the ruling party given the number of Batswana who are yearning for quality jobs. In a nutshell, Masisi could have used the debate to ignite hope for Batswana who have been struggling to get jobs or opportunities for years.
Poorly organised primariesThe other major contributing factor that led to the BDP’s humiliating loss at the General Election is the way party handled its primaries. Firstly, several of aspiring candidates were vetted out of the race for the primaries without explanation. People such as former BDP Francistown chairman, Baemedi Medupi and Reaboka Mbulawa, were barred from contesting the primaries without any explanation amid reports that Masisi favoured certain individuals. The primaries were riddled with instances of cheating and administrative challenges. The party also failed to manage protests properly, something that left many feeling aggrieved. What even deepened the problems for the BDP was the management of the aftermath of the primaries. Unlike the in the past, the BDP leadership ignored calls to counsel the losers and those who were vetted out. As such, some of the losers and those who were barred from contesting the primaries defected to other parties or contested the General Election as independent candidates. This worked against the ruling party.
Unenticing Manifesto PromisesDuring the build up to the 2025 General Election, the ruling party campaign messages were not rich and appealing as the 2019 promises. Masisi knew that the BDP was on a ditch owing to the swelling narrative that his government had mismanaged the economy and the country was broke. There were growing concerns that the country has been spending recklessly and is no longer able to execute certain projects or deliver some basic services to Batswana. Instead of trying to address the narrative against the BDP, Masisi’s campaigns focused more on satire and the rhetoric. BDP activities in the buildup to the General Election were also poorly attended and executed.
The low attendance of launches cannot be used to gauge or determine if the party will succeed at the polls. However, good organisation coupled with a fair attendance is very key in terms of drumming up the party’s campaign.
The De Beers negotiations Masisi has said that the outcome of the De Beers-government diamond sales negotiations remains the best achievement of his presidency. But there are those who believe that the way he spoke out of turn against De Beers to some extent offended so many Batswana. At the height of the negotiations, Masisi threatened that Botswana would walk away from negotiations if not pleased with the outcomes. Some labelled the government demands reckless and even suggested that Masisi inviting the nation to have a dim view of De Beers. There were also fears that Masisi’s attitude towards De Beers has the potential to contaminate the country’s business environment.
Both parties reached an agreement but there is a swelling opinion that the De Beers is not pleased with the outcome and want to ditch Botswana. Such sentiments coincide with a time in which De Beers is setting up in Angola. Voters might have used the polls as perfect platform to punish Masisi for his demeanour or attitude against the diamond mining giant.
Over-reliance on intelligenceMasisi’s administration, like that of his predecessor, relied heavily on intelligence services (Directorate of Intelligence and Security), which some argue contributed to a culture of suspicion and control within the party. To some extent, this reliance stifled open dialogue and dissent. This ultimately meant that the party was unable to get the necessary criticism or feedback from its members, something which would have enabled it to put the necessary reforms with a view of sustaining its stay in power. The BDP complacency leading to the general election might have also emanated from assurances from the intelligence unit that the party will win convincingly at the general election.