Reatile challenges legitimacy of BPF congress

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday November 4, 2025 11:36

Addressing the media earlier after the chaotic Serowe events, Reatile firmly asserted that the congress, which he claims convened without his approval, was not conducted according to the party’s constitution.

Reatile emphasised that the actions taken by the BPF members who organised the congress were not only irregular but also in direct violation of the party's governing rules. He pointed out that the congress, which led to the election of Lawrence Ookeditse as the new party president, lacked procedural legitimacy. 'I am still the party president,' Reatile stated, “and we are currently preparing for an extraordinary congress which, according to our constitution, must be held within three months of any such event.”

He expressed his disapproval of the way the congress was conducted, emphasising that the decisions made were not in line with the constitutional requirements that all BPF members are expected to follow.

“What happened with the recent congress is not in accordance with our party constitution. I used my authority given by the party constitution to dissolve the congress, and those actions cannot be deemed invalid,” he continued.

He said he used Clause 20.6.4 of the party constitution to dissolve the congress, which reads, “ in cases of emergency, to take action in the interest of the BPF pending review by the National Congress, the president can make decisions on behalf of the party.”

The former president further clarified that his leadership remains intact and that he intends to hold a new congress, one that strictly adheres to the constitutional guidelines. “We are working towards an extraordinary congress, which, as stipulated in our party constitution, should take place within three months. I will not allow actions that undermine our procedures to go unchallenged. We want to ensure that the upcoming congress follows the correct protocols and is not influenced by the preferences of a few individuals who disregard the rule of law,” Reatile said.

The party's constitution, which Reatile claims to uphold, lays out specific guidelines for leadership succession, decision-making, and the convening of congresses. According to Reatile, the recent congress, which resulted in the election of Ookeditse, cannot be considered valid because it did not follow these established procedures. The coming months are likely to see further developments as both sides battle for control of the party.

While the outcome of the dispute remains uncertain, what is clear is that Reatile is resolute in his belief that the Serowe congress was not in accordance with the party’s constitutional rules.

However, Reatile also admitted that the National Executive Committee (NEC) has failed to deliver a legitimate congress to the members, which unifies them. The party constitution, Clause 15.4.3, gives the NEC the power to prepare for both national congress and national conference such resolutions and declarations affecting the programme, principles, and policies of the BPF as, in its view, may be necessitated by political circumstance.