Molatlhegi unperturbed by recent loss
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday August 8, 2022 06:00
He says it is all water under the bridge as he now focuses on working for the BNF. Molatlhegi was voted by 67 delegates while Boko got 967 votes in the race. Molatlhegi said he is committed to the ideals of the BNF.
Many thought that Molatlhegi and his supporters who prior to the congress called themselves “Team Bucs” will defect or form a faction within the BNF. According to the BNF constitution, the members are allowed to form allegiance during party campaigns only and thereafter the congress, dissolve such teams.
“The question of the way forward does not arise.
The BNF constitution is clear and as loyal members committed to the values of the front we will comply. My activism in the BNF does not depend on position. Leadership in politics doesn’t depend on position. It’s not bureaucracy.
People know their leaders by a commitment to the values of the party, respect for members and an understanding that they belong to all of us. Not an individual,” Molatlhegi revealed.
He said they will continue to lobby for views within the party. Moreover, he said the views they hold will prevail, because they are correct values representative of the real BNF.
Before the congress, the BUCS team was calling for transparency and an independent electoral board in the party and they also pointed out that their party structures had collapsed. Team Bucs had highlighted that the BNF is in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) state, because the party president Boko prefers to concentrate much on Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) where he is also a president and forgets the BNF. As a result two members of the BUCS team were suspended from the party for misconduct. The two members are Mokgweetsi Kgosipula and Kaboyaone Sedimo who were alleged to be tarnishing the image of the party in the media.
BNF spokesperson Justin Hunyepa said: “The BNF came out of the recent Ba Isago University congress more united than ever. We had maintained that there were no factions, but temporary platforms for contestants to lobby support from the general membership. Discipline has to be maintained within the party all the time. The respective structures will decide to take disciplinary action or not against those who broke the party's code of discipline.” He said there is a lot of peace and tranquillity currently, which shows that members may have smoked the peace pipe.
The spokesperson said the focus has shifted to unseating the corrupt Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and that's what the members are working on.
“The recent Moselewapula ward by-election in Francistown is a classic example of how united the BNF is. The congress theme has been lived to the fullest: "BNF unity now, and UDC victory in 2024",” he said. The BNF recently resolved that members who air the party’s dirty laundry will face the wrath of the party. It further instructed lower structures such as ward, constituencies, and regions to take disciplinary action against members who discuss internal issues on social media and/or media in general.
“The delegates were concerned that there are a lot of party issues that are taken to social media platforms and media houses. Some of the issues tarnish the good name of the organisation hence the structures being instructed to take action, because we have a code of discipline and procedure. The structures have to instill such discipline within the organisation,” Hunyepa said.
Meanwhile,former BNF secretary-general, Moeti Mohwasa expressed concern about the rising number of cases of indiscipline in the party and said the expectation is that those who differ with the party should do so in line with the constitution. He pleaded with those that differ with the party leadership or any party structure to submit their views and criticism to the relevant structures and not talk about it casually or with levity elsewhere.
The BNF constitution clause 5.1.4 states that, "to criticise any decision or official of the BNF regardless of position or rank, such criticism shall be made to members of the BNF or at a properly convened meeting of the members of the BNF.”