Molapise to save UDC
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday June 13, 2022 06:00
The future of what is commonly dubbed the people’s project to some extent lies in the hands of its top leadership as they meet to make crucial decisions as an endeavour to save the shaky political project.
UDC chairperson, Motlatsi Molapise confirmed this week that the top three party leadership would meet ahead of the June 25, 2022 national executive committee (NEC). Molapise will chair the peace talks expected to bring together Duma Boko and Dumelang Saleshando who have literally not been in talking terms.
Troubled by steadily mounting volatility between the UDC president Boko and his deputy Saleshando, apparently precipitated by trust issues, the main opposition party, the UDC has been on a warpath with itself.
Molapise, who is also the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) president, told Mmegi this week a meeting of the UDC top three leadership, Boko, Saleshando and himself is scheduled at an undisclosed date and venue ahead of the coalition NEC meeting billed for June 25. The meeting of the trio is called in an effort to iron out issues that have been the source of acrimony mainly between Boko and Saleshando.
In a recent interview, Saleshando, who is also the president of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), had vowed that his party’s stay in the UDC coalition was conditional.
Speaking ahead of the UDC NEC meeting of May 21, 2022 Saleshando had said:“ If the spirit from the 21 May 2022 meeting is, we have understood you and let’s sit around the table and chat the way forward, then let it be. But, if this matter is ignored as it has now become the norm, it will mean the end of the road.”
The BCP president would describe the relationship between the BCP and another main coalition partner, the Botswana National Front (BNF) in which Boko dabbles as president also as a “far cry from what it was promised to be.”
On the other hand, Boko has been on the quiet side refusing to take media inquiries to explain his controversial leadership style, which is being challenged by the BCP as unilateral.
Still on the matter, Molapise was reluctant to talk about the impending UDC meeting highlighting that issues of this nature are internal and not for the consumption of external parties at this stage.
“Once we have completed the impending meeting, you will be duly notified about decisions made,” said the 78-year-old Molapise. From the last UDC leadership meeting, Molapise indicated that they had agreed to meet as the trio top leadership before their June 25 meeting to tackle some of the outstanding pertinent issues. The purpose of the meeting is to establish what could be the source of the differences between Boko and Saleshando. The BCP has for sometime bemoaned Boko’s leadership style, which they claim is unilateral. Further, its internal democracy as an issue of governance seems to be worrying the BCP away from the Boko rule.
BCP spokesperson, Mpho Pheko is aware of the impending meeting of the UDC trio.
"The last UDC NEC meeting in Palapye agreed that the three presidents must meet and try to iron issues between them. Molapise can share better and further particulars," said Pheko.
For his part, UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa chose not to comment on the development.
"I will not comment on something that we haven't shared with the public," emphasised Mohwasa.