Women still shut out politically
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday July 30, 2025 06:37
These events have made it clear that the country still has a long way to go before women can meaningfully occupy key decision-making positions within political parties. To date, no woman has been elected to executive positions in the central committees of either party, except for the Women’s League presidents who join by virtue of their designated roles, not by vote. Whilst the AP showed a glimmer of progress with some women daring to contest top posts, the BNF painted a bleaker picture. At the BNF congress, no woman stepped forward to challenge for top executive positions; instead, female candidates competed only for 'additional member' roles, positions often seen as peripheral.
This trend reveals deep-rooted societal beliefs that still associate political power with men. It underscores the persistent notion that certain roles, particularly in politics, are a male domain. Consequently, the responsibility to improve female representation may fall on party presidents.
Under each party’s constitution, presidents have the authority to nominate additional members. The hope is that they will use this power to appoint capable women, thereby strengthening female presence at the top.
At present, the BNF Central Committee includes only two women out of 13 members, a mere fraction. Similarly, the AP’s executive has only two women holding lower-level positions out of a total of 12, with the remaining 10 held by men. Still, there is cautious optimism that more women could be nominated to various portfolios in the nearby future. One particularly revealing moment came at the AP congress, when Theresa Mmolawa, a woman vying for the party’s vice presidency against Wynter Mmolotsi, was jeered by some female delegates whilst presenting her case.
Mmolawa used her speech to raise a critical issue: the party’s constitution, which she argued is not inclusive enough of women. “I want women to be represented at the executive level where decisions are made. I will advocate for our constitution to be amended so that it includes women,” she had said. Despite the discouragement from a few, others in the audience applauded her, offering encouragement and support in the face of resistance. However, her experience illustrates the uphill battle women face, not just against the system, but sometimes even from within their ranks.