Boko, Dow meet over possible recruitment
Mompati Tlhankane | Tuesday August 15, 2023 06:00
Leader of Opposition (LoO), Dithapelo Keorapetse made this revelation during a post-winter Parliament session media briefing. Keorapetse confirmed that Dow has already engaged with the UDC National Executive Committee (NEC), yet he refrained from divulging specifics.
Dow's departure from the BDP took place in May and her tensions with the ruling party date back to 2021. Before her resignation, she faced allegations of damaging the party’s reputation and defying caucus decisions.
In her resignation statement, Dow outlined her reasoning, indicating that her appearance before the BDP disciplinary committee would not resolve the underlying dispute between herself and the BDP leadership. Dow’s conflict with her party originated in 2020 when she was removed from her Cabinet position. In November 2021, her critique of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) led to further estrangement from the BDP leadership. Dow advocated for a Commission of Inquiry to assess the DIS’ policies, regulations, and activities, citing concerns about accountability mechanisms.
She said Botswana was approaching a deep pit and if “we are not careful as a country we will fall inside the pit”. “Re mo letshitshing la lemena. If there is anyone who does not agree that DIS is a law unto itself then, I don’t know which country they come from,” she indicated. Dow’s stance on these issues distanced her from the ruling party. Leading up to the BDP congress in August, she was heard in a leaked WhatsApp voice note addressing party legislators, expressing concerns about intimidation and threats ahead of the event. Dow attributed this climate to new elements within the BDP administration, whom she characterised as fostering a culture of intimidation.
Although Dow contested for the deputy secretary-general position against the BDP leadership's preferred candidate, she faced challenges, particularly accusations propagated by a Facebook pseudonymous account, France Museveni, as the main architect of pre-election intimidation tactics. Dow’s refusal to join the Pan African Parliament and her public response to party disciplinary actions led to further contention within the BDP.
The UDC’s interest in Dow, a former high court judge who previously ran for an MP seat in Mochudi, where she lost, has been evident. Presently a SEMP serving her second term, Dow's decision to stand as an independent MP allowed her to retain her seat. Joining the UDC, however, would necessitate Dow's compliance with the floor-crossing law and likely require her to wait until the following year for a formal transition.