BDP gears up for historic congress amid fierce chairperson race
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday April 28, 2025 15:37


The contenders include Karabo Gare, Dr. Kefentse Mzwinila and Dorcas Makgato. Notably, this will be the first time the BDP holds its congress as an opposition party, following its loss in the 2024 General Election. Consequently, tensions within the party are running high, as many members are still reeling from the end of the BDP’s 58-year rule. Furthermore, internal divisions have surfaced, with some members expressing frustration toward ministers who previously served under former President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
As the congress approaches, it remains uncertain who will emerge victorious. However, the significance of the chairperson role cannot be overstated, as it serves as the backbone of the party, with the critical mandate of ensuring that all party structures remain active and functional. Gare said if voted by the party members who call themselves “democrats”, 'I intend to strengthen the internal structures of our party to ensure unity, discipline, and clear lines of accountability. My focus will be on revitalizing our branches, empowering our grassroots, and ensuring that the party becomes more responsive to the needs of our members and the broader citizens.” Furthermore, he said he will also champion greater inclusivity, more especially on active participation of youth and women, not just in rhetoric, but through policy and structural reform.
He also said the Chairperson's office must be the anchor of ideological clarity and strategic direction. Therefore, he intends to ensure that political education programmes are revived and that party values are not just recited but lived in how they lead, serve, and engage.
He added: “Ma Domi, bogolo jang ba ba tswang ko tlase,ba tlhoka go rutwa gore se Domkraga ke eng,go se itse le go se tshela!”
He said as a living political organisation, the BDP must always be open to self-introspection and institutional refinement.
He also said it is indeed in the interest of the party leadership to from time to time initiate a review of the constitution, not for personal or factional benefit, but to ensure it remains aligned with the values, realities, and aspirations of their time.Moreover, he said the decision to amend the constitution is not one that rests with the leadership alone.
He also stressed that it is the sovereign right of the general membership of the party to determine whether there is a need for change, and where such change should occur.
Gare said any proposed amendments must be driven by the collective will of the members, and not imposed from the top. If voted, Gare said he will advocate for a consultative process, deeply rooted in branch structures, regionally inclusive, and guided by the democratic ethos of their party. He said it is only through such an approach that any constitutional reform can have legitimacy and unify rather than divide.
In an interview with Makgato on Wednesday, she said; “what I am advocating for, in this race is for us to re-engineer the BDP and position it, in accordance with the prevailing environment and align to the needs, aspiration of Batswana and democrats at large. First and foremost we need to go to the drawing board as the BDP to find out in the exact terms what led us where we are today from both the democrats and nation at large. If we can’t do that as a party, it will be just be speculations.”
Furthermore, she said they need to have comprehensive discussions with all stakeholders so that they can figure out exactly what the issues are, once they have done that, they need rebuild the party and draw lessons from it. Makgato said from the lessons they have learnt, they will help them to rebuild the party which is in line with the aspirations of party members and Batswana. Moreover, she said there is need for constitutional review, revisits their organizational structures as they cannot do that without aligning it with the constitution.
In addition, she said the organ has to have clearly defined processes, it has powers that are clearly articulated, road clarity of office holders and structures to serve in the current circumstance of an opposition party. Makgato said she is optimistic that the BDP will come back in 2029 General Election but what will determine that will be the functionality of the organ itself. She said that would need a lot of hard work and smartness in the coming general elections.Still on the matter, she said they need to build on their old success while making new ideologies. Meanwhile, another candidate Mzwinila said he cannot respond to the questionaire as his schedule is tight.