BMD Factions To Appear Before UDC NEC
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday August 21, 2017 16:42
This comes after UDC National Executive Committee (NEC) wrote to the two BMD teams that if they want the UDC NEC to intervene and try to resolve the problems within their party, they should respond to them committing that they would appear.
Both sides, one led by Sidney Pilane and the other by Gaolathe, are supposed to brief the committee of what led the BMD to be in this mess. Thereafter, the UDC would then announce their verdict on the matter.
The verdict might not be announced on that day, but it would be made known soon.
“Having had regard to the UDC’s resolution that as the mother body, it is under obligation to actively pursue a solution to the ensuing BMD crisis, the committee unanimously resolved to submit to the UDC jurisdiction and commit to working with the UDC NEC towards an amicable solution to the impasse in our movement,” Gaolathe team secretary general, Phenyo Butale said. The secretary general said they would present oral and written submissions of their case in order to help the committee find a solution to the matter at hand.
He continued: “We shared with the UDC our view that this matter should be resolved by August 31, 2017 to curb the growing uncertainty and anxiety amongst the multitudes of our supporters. The risk of losing our supporters is a real concern and danger to the opposition prospects of winning power in 2019”.
Butale urged their supporters and well-wishers “to remain calm and give the UDC efforts a chance as they continue with their quest for a formidable, united and dynamic opposition bloc that is ready to unseat the fatigued and increasingly corrupt Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) regime”. However, the Pilane team responded by saying they do not have a problem with UDC intervening in their matter as long as it is in line with the BMD constitution, whereby the constitution does not allow for UDC to run their congress.
The letter also stated that the Gaolathe team does not have good reasons to call for a rerun. Recently secretary general, Gilbert Mangole had said that Pilane’s team would attend the intervention meeting that UDC NEC calls for them to appear, as their faction too seeks peaceful resolution.