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Another BCP Candidate Defects To BNF
By Bame Piet
Staff Writer
9/5/2005 11:42:03 AM (GMT +2)
The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) council candidate for Pitsane ward, Borolong constituency in last year’s general election, Carlson Teemane, has defected to the Botswana National Front (BNF).
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Teemane claims that the Borolong electorate are fed up with the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and the division in the opposition.
“After losing to BDP candidate, I made an evaluation and voters told me that they want to see opposition unity. Even my uncle told me that he refused to reveal to me that he is a BNF follower. He said that I should have contested under the party ticket,” Teemane said. He indicated that voters felt the division of opposition parties is a waste of time and provides a platform for the ruling party to exploit Batswana. He said voters had expressed concern about the kind of president who will succeed Festus Mogae. He said they fear that if Vice President Ian Khama takes over as president, there will be violation of human rights. Teemane is an employee of University of Botswana. He said that defections will strengthen opposition unity. He added that the BCP should do more to show its commitment to unity. He said the opposition could have performed better in the Borolong if not for divisions and mudslinging. Teemane said he joined BCP in 1999 and worked hard for the party to the extent that he had had a misunderstanding with his family because he was away most of the time. He said more people in the constituency are going to defect to the BNF as they have expressed the urgency of unseating the BDP. He said BCP seemed very prepared for last year’s general elections but the outcome proved the opposite. This, he said shows that the only alternative left is for opposition to work together. BCP secretary general, Taolo Lucas, confirmed the defection and asserted that people are exercising their freedom of association. He said the BCP is also receiving new members most of them from the BDP and they would reveal their names when the time is right. Lucas announced that the BCP leadership will go on a national tour this month to welcome new members to the party. BNF secretary general, Akanyang Magama was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.
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