BCP mulls over party ticket
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday March 15, 2022 06:00
Equally, the party will make a resolution on the future of its affiliation with the UDC. BCP’s central committee called an urgent meeting on Saturday and consultation is still ongoing.
The party’s spokesperson, Mpho Pheko told The Monitor they were keeping the midnight oil burning in order to come up with resolutions today.
“Yes, we are having meetings about current developments as the party central committee. We are still compiling some resolutions,” she said.
“We are planning a conference on Monday to communicate the resolutions.”
According to an insider, a majority of central committee members have agreed that it is time the party weighs what it was gaining in the UDC, what it is losing by affiliating and also whether to contest Bophirima ward outside of the Umbrella.
This rude awakening comes after the BCP felt that it has been betrayed by UDC president, Duma Boko. BCP alleged that Boko took a decision that his party, Botswana National Front (BNF) will contest in Bophirima without consulting UDC’s other affiliates.
A letter authored by Pheko dated March 11, stated the BCP had noted with disappointment a UDC media release of March 11, 2022, declaring a certain Mankie Sekete of the BNF as the UDC candidate for Bophirima ward.
“Our disappointment stems from the false statements in the release. Part of the statement read that, ‘As is the practice, processes, decency and respect for internal processes of cooperating partners dictate, the responsibility to pick a candidate as in this instance, rests on the shoulders of the UDC.’ The brief facts are as follows – The UDC has not met to discuss the Bophirima ward candidacy. Requests for a meeting to discuss the issue were turned down by UDC president Boko,” she said in the letter.
The letter further pointed out that the Bophirima ward was assigned to BCP to manage in the 2019 General Election.
Pheko said BCP acceded to a request for Sekete to contest in their ward following her defection from the Botswana Movement for Democracy to the BNF as courtesy, as she was a nominated councillor.
Furthermore, Pheko stressed that the BCP, as the party assigned to manage Bophirima ward, is entitled to decide on the candidate to contest on behalf of the UDC. Same scenario obtained at Ledumadumane East ward.
“We are sad to state that UDC president Boko has not been available for any proposed meetings of the UDC NEC since the last meeting on July 2021 at Palapye. All decisions pertaining to the coalition have been taken unilaterally without consulting cooperating partners,” she added.
The BCP demanded a retraction of the unfortunate press release, an apology from the author of the release, and further consultation on the Bophirima ward in line with the spirit of the coalition.
Contrary to expectation to supporting the UDC's preferred candidate, the Alliance for Progressives (AP) has instead shown its unwavering support to the BCP's pick of Peter Mogapi for Bophirima ward, while Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) says it will support the former's candidate choice.
BPF also applauded AP for having dropped out of the race to pave way for the UDC candidate after withdrawing its interest in the ward ‘for the bigger picture’.
Still, on the matter, a letter written by AP deputy secretary-general, Edison Wotho dated March 11, reads: “Upon further reflection and engagement with other opposition parties, the AP leadership decided to yield the Botswana Congress Party who as we all know, compromised in Metsimotlhabe, Lentsweletau and Tamasane, in the last round of by-elections. As the AP, we believe, it is only when all parties are willing to sacrifice and compromise that, a united and vibrant opposition block can materialise. The AP therefore hopes that the UDC in its internal deliberations will take the above facts into consideration and award the management of the ward accordingly.”
On the other hand, BPF spokesperson, Lawrence Ookeditse called upon the parties to act decisively and wind up talks at the soonest.
“Given the foregoing, the BPF will support the candidate mandated by the UDC to represent it regardless of their affiliation. It is our policy to not interfere in the internal affairs of fellow contracting parties and this extends to the UDC in this existence,” he said.
Leaked minutes of the BCP Executive Committee, alleged to have taken place on February 15, 2022 resolved that 'the BCP is standing in Bophirima regardless of the outcome of the Joint Bye elections committee.