BNF members have the right to choose

Mmegi Editor | Monday March 7, 2022 06:00

The latter’s flaws in the BNF have been obvious in the decade that he held the stranglehold of the party.

His standing across the breadth of his party has changed especially since the party’s poor performance during the 2019 general elections.

With BNF’s two parliamentary seats and also the fact that he lost his parliamentary seat and led the party to other losses in the South in 2019, Boko’s support within the party may not be quite as robust as it once was.

Some BNF members say they want Boko to run again for the presidency later in July rather than having another candidate. As such, they are labelling Molatlhegi as an old, outsider and his intent a clear act of insubordination. But the members who are causing rumblings within the party forget the basic principles of democracy.

This brouhaha is already shaking internal affairs of the BNF but the truth is that as much as his supporters want Boko to stay, the objective of democracy is that people have the right to choose their leader. Now, Boko’s supporters are on a mission to annihilate anyone who dares challenge him and mortally wound Molatlhegi’s future political prospects. But, if one takes a deep dive into these rumblings by the pro-Boko faction, the utterances are meant to paint a picture that Boko still retains massive support in the BNF heartland.

Through elections, BNF members should select whomever they want as their political leader. But that cannot happen if Boko remains unchallenged and his challengers are intimidated. Just as the citizens of Botswana are entitled to cast ballots in the general election every five years, members of the BNF should be entitled to select and reject their leaders. Those who are busy saying Boko should just be handed the party presidency on a silver platter without competition are so backwards and it is this mindset that will sink the BNF even to deeper lows.

Boko should be confident that he is skilled and ruthless in taking down challengers fairly. He should not depend on anyone to fight his battles, so the presidency seat is his to win or lose. Those who do not harbour presidential aspirations should not deny others a chance to contest for the position. Whether or not Molatlhegi has manouevred himself into a solid political position in the BNF is up to the congress in July to determine, but for now let the two get into the ring. Cracks within the BNF had long started to show before the 2019 general elections, thus it is now more than ever for the party to rise and become a dominant force it used to be. It is time to calm the internal storms within the party and mount a solid political revival.

Today's thought

''Goodness is something chosen. When a man cannot choose he ceases to be a man>''

– Anthony Burges