How BDP women gender card failed
Staff Writer | Monday September 11, 2023 06:00
The ruling party hosted its 59 national council where major decisions were to be endorsed. On Friday, by mid evening most delegates, incumbents and hopefuls had already painted Palapye red, behind the scenes however ,there were major underhand lobbying for motions.
One of the motions was for female candidates to be left unchallenged in their constituencies. This position was also tabled on the floor on Saturday.
The suggestion was that in order for the BDP to be seen to be advocating for increased women participation, females who have raised their hands should not be challenged. This position was however, vehemently turned down.
Currently, the BDP has four elected women parliamentarians and three Specially Elected Members.
The party President, Mokgweetsi Masisi is reported to have remarked that the gender card is not strong enough and that all party members are welcome to compete despite of gender.
“A basadi ba ye go tlhopana kabo bone ee,” Masisi is reported to have said by sources.
Adding on what the President reportedly said, BDP communications sub-committee chairperson, Kagelelo Kentse explained that the BDP’s constitution dictates that as long as one is a member in good standing they are eligible to compete and or participate in ‘Bulela Ditswe’ ( BDP primary elections).
“And a member in good standing is eligible, we mean a democrat who has been a card carrying member for more than two years and is up to date with their subscriptions. Our electoral system also uses a system where we vote directly for our Member of Parliament and so we cannot say we reserve such many posts for females,” he said.
“What if we find ourselves in a position where we have two women competing against each other what do we do? If we say women should not be challenged what do we mean?” Kentse rhetorically asked.
As such, Kentse confirmed that the proposal was turned down by the council and instead the party resolved to instead increase the number of Specially elected Members of Parliament (SEMP). Currently the number of SEMPs is at 6 but the national council resolved be increased to 10.
“ The council instead resorted to advise to increase SEMP’s to 10 with the view that the dispensation will be used to Increase the number of women in parliament,” Kentse added.
Mmegi further reached out to the BDP Women’s Wing secretary general (SG), Neo Maruapula who explained their position.
“Government has signed and rectified the SADC gender protocol, we advocate for, as a minimum, the immediate implementation of 30% quota of women in Parliament and Local Authorities to align with gender Protocol Agreement with a view to reaching 50% in five years,” she said.
Maruapula further stressed that she also believes that women are capable and therefore should not be given any ‘special treatment.”
For his part, the party SG Kavis Kario also explained why the position was turned down.
“The main question was that at this point we don’t know the women who have interest and what if we endorse the position and the voters reject the female candidate. The position really went against the spirit of Bulela Ditswe and the rights of members as stipulated in our constitution,” he said.
Kario said the party has also noted that women don’t normally vote for each other. “The trend is that normally women don’t vote each other. They prefer to vote their males counterparts. We had to consider all these factors. We are probably not yet ready to make that resolution, we need to do more to build their (women) confidence and prepar voters to vote women because they are as able to lead as males. The decision was of readiness to take that resolution, ” he said.
He further added the position despite being turning down, his party and government through President Masisi have continued to appoint more women in leadership. For Bulela Ditswe he says it will be up to the voter.
“We encourage the contenders to seek consensus where they can. If they want to make way for each other. That however is not controlled and has no authority but it rather s an opportunity for constituencies to decide themselves whether they can promote women.”
Asked a proposed dated for Bulela Ditswe the SG said, “most likely within five months as there are a lot of preparations that we have to do.”