'Baby' Labour Party promises clean politics
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday December 13, 2022 06:00
While party congresses are usually attended by masses from all over the country, the BLP could only attract less than 100 people from for the congress held at Lobatse Senior Secondary School over the weekend.
With the small following, the party believes it can still contribute positively to Botswana’s democracy with clean politics.
Following a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Duma Boko-led faction, Reverend Prince Dibeela’s camp within the Botswana National Front (BNF) cried foul that elections were rigged.
While their presidential candidate, Dr Baatlhodi Molatlhegi stood aside, Dibeela and other BNF disgruntled members moved to form the BLP. They would say how they expected dozens to follow them as they were unhappy with Boko's leadership.
According to party president Dibeela, the Labour Party represents the interests of the workers in formal employment, farm workers, informal business owners, and those unemployed.
He stated that they are exploring the possibility of working as partners with other like-minded parties, unions, farmers' associations, and other grassroots formations.
He called on the party members to recruit more. “We encourage our foot soldiers to spread the message of the Labour Party, which is to participate in the true emancipation of the people of Botswana.
As we said before the characteristic of Labour Party cadres is to present ourselves in a manner acceptable to the public, to speak respectfully to other people, and to critique robustly yet with respect,” he said.
Dibeela said they believe that the toxicity in politics, in general, is not good for the country. He said it has to be their responsibility to make sure engagement is issue-based and even where there is jest it has to be done tastefully.
“The Labour Party believes that politicians have to conduct themselves in ways that are exemplary. You cannot be a leader and be accused of sexual misdemeanour with a minor and continue as though things are just normal.
The ethical thing to do is to step aside and allow the process to clear you rather than behave as though nothing has happened. You cannot be accused of a serious matter such as embezzlement of funds or misappropriating funds of a deceased person’s estate and still continue with your public service without any worries. Political parties have to be forced by legislation to take action against unethical behaviour,' he said.
Dibeela also said as part of their intention to transform the body politic of the country, they call on all political parties to reject ritual murders and to do everything possible to end the shameful practice. “The souls of Segametsi, Tlotso, the headless woman whose body was found in a field in Tlokweng and many other nameless citizens of the country cry to us to end this evil. As elections approach, we are aware that this evil practice will raise its head again. This is something we should collectively fight against,” he said.
Meanwhile BLP Secretary General Kgakgamatso Kebiditswe said they were happy with the outcome of the congress. 'For a party that is only two months only we did well, attracting members from 20 constituencies.
We are yet to establish structures in other places and we believe we are in the right direction,' he said. Kebiditswe said among their resolutions, they would be looking to work with Alliance for Progressives and Botswana Congress Party. He further said they have resolved to make Lenyeletse Koma as their honourary President.