BDP preaches compromise for Nata-Gweta primaries
Lebogang Mosikare | Sunday March 10, 2024 22:48
The BDP will hold its primary elections, commonly known as Bulela Ditswe in the vernacular, sometimes this month to choose candidates who will represent it in the General Election in October.
There is documented evidence that the BDP primaries also leave it divided in some constituencies where some party activists at council and parliamentary levels feel that they were not conducted according to the dictates of the party constitution.
In the past, some BDP activists left the party in large numbers to join the opposition or contest as independent candidates after they felt that the BDP did not adequately handle their concerns following primary elections. Now, reports from the Nata-Gweta constituency say that there are five candidates who have expressed interest to contest the BDP parliamentary primaries.
The reports from a BDP source close to the goings-on in Nata-Gweta say that initially eight BDP cadres had expressed interest to try their luck in the party’s parliamentary primaries but others have since pulled out of the race. The BDP source added that those who pulled out of the race compromised in the best interests of the party to avoid polarisation that may creep in if many people lose the primaries and then feel that they were not conducted in the letter and spirit of the party constitution. Asked to shed more light about Masisi’s trip to Nata-Gweta, the spokesperson of the BDP Kagelelo Kentse said that it is not something that is surprising because the president routinely visits all BDP regions across Botswana for various reasons. “The president routinely visits BDP structures across Botswana to establish rapport.
This gives him a very good opportunity to know the health of our structures countrywide with a view to offer counsel where necessary. The president’s visits are multi-pronged,” said Kentse. Part of Masisi’ sojourn to Nata-Gweta, Kentse explained, is to welcome new BDP members who were recruited from opposition parties. “Also, the president will be in Nata-Gweta to encourage compromise. You will remember that where there are many candidates vying for the candidature of the BDP at council and parliamentary levels, the party always encourages compromise.
However, if other BDP activists are reluctant to yield for one candidate, the party will always hold primary elections. This is how democracy works not only in the BDP but in other countries across the world. You should remember that the holding of primary elections is financially and emotionally taxing for both the candidates and the party hence we encourage compromise,” said Kentse. In an endeavour to deal with grievances occasioned by the primaries, in the past, former BDP and State president Ian Khama instituted a commission that was chaired by former cabinet minister Peter Siele to review Bulela Ditswe and make recommendations on how the system could be improved. During the 2013 Bulela Ditswe season, a record 108 complaints were lodged before the party about the primary elections process.
“This in turn led to another record 38 and 254 independent candidates (mekoko) for council and parliament respectively. This was a first in the history of the party. This record number of mekoko, as well as the performance of the party in the 2014 General Election, raised a number of questions about the Bulela Ditswe system. Some questioned whether it is still good for the party, while others called for its discontinuation,” the Siele report partly read.