Inside UDC meetings that broke the coalition
Mompati Tlhankane | Monday February 6, 2023 06:00
When this feud between the BCP and the UDC started, the main conflict arose from the former’s contention that the opposition is poorly governed by a tyrannical leader in Duma Boko who takes major decisions alone.
But Boko has always maintained that there is no way he could coerce all members of the UDC NEC to do his bidding.
Even during his keynote speech in Maun over the weekend, Boko reiterated that the UDC NEC has members therefore he does not have the power to control everyone. “They go around saying that decisions are taken by one person.
If one person is able to take decisions alone where will the other 11 members be? What will they be doing? If indeed that one person is doing that, is he a bully and that forceful? If you look at the physical stature of that person who is said to be taking decisions alone, he is not even that big so how can he strong-arm everyone?” Boko questioned.
Boko, who also doubles as Botswana National Front (BNF) president, pointed out that allegations that decisions are taken by one person at the UDC are not true. “All the NEC decisions are taken by the leadership, which is the members and my role as the president of the UDC is to make sure that those resolutions are implemented as they are.
As I implement those NEC decisions nothing can stop me even if they put Goliath in front me,” Boko highlighted. But the narrative that Boko is taking decisions alone was not the subject on Sunday in Maun as Kekgonegile detailed his version of how administration is done at the UDC. For a long time Kekgonegile said their main problem was poor governance of the UDC because there are no consultations but rather a group of BNF members meet in secret to decide on major coalition decisions.
He said the UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa, BNF spokesperson Justin Hunyepa and UDC president Boko, who are all BNF members, run the whole show. “When this trio has finished making decisions for everyone they would book lodging for Botswana People’s Party (BPP) president Motlatsi Molapise. The latter and company will arrive a day before the NEC meeting where they hold a mock NEC meeting without us.
The UDC NEC meetings are concluded a day before the actual meeting is held. Whatever they decide in their gathering becomes final and our input would not matter the next day when we are part of the genuine meeting,” he said. Kekgonegile said things are not done properly at the UDC because secret meetings are held way before the main meeting and without the input of BCP members.
“Our problem as the BCP in the UDC is this kind of administration, which is undemocratic and controlled by a small number of people. This is tyrannical on their part because they want to break the BCP apart,” he said.
Kekgonegile further indicated that because the UDC is a coalition movement, governance is dependent on consensus. He also said when they talk about this issue, the UDC instructs them not to talk about it until the UDC leadership gives a go ahead. “What kind of organisation doesn’t let its members to share their concerns? When we talked about these issues openly we ended up getting suspended.
We were not aware that governance in this organisation was a secret. We couldn’t hide these issues under a pillow, we had to let the public know,” he told BCP members. Contacted for comment, Mohwasa did not deny that they hold conversations before the actual NEC meetings. “All decisions are made at UDC NEC and as a practice, conversations will always be held prior to meetings.
We have all held discussions and shared views about certain issues prior to meetings. Realistically this happens everywhere. It is unfortunate that it seems Kekgonegile would prefer that such a practice always favours him or his party.
Ha rele batho re tsaya dikgang (As people we make conversations) before meetings. In the past some decisions were in favour of his party but of course he won't complain.
It seems they are a party that always wants to have decisions taken in their favour,” Mohwasa told Mmegi. Asked what actually happens during UDC NEC meetings and how they arrive at certain decisions, Mohwasa briefly said, “We present issues, debate and then take decisions”.