BPF gave me a political lifeline – Galebotswe
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday December 1, 2025 06:00
Speaking at a meeting he and members of the ‘interim committee’ hosted in Palapye, Galebotswe said he was grateful to have been among those who attended the meeting as their leader. “I am grateful to the interim committee for having considered me for the interim presidency. I would have never turned down the offer, being the fighter that I am. It is the only thing that made me accept the assignment,” he said.
Galebotswe said he accepted the presidency as he had seen something special about the BPF.
“First of all, when my political career almost ended, the BPF gave me an opportunity to revive it. In 2019, I wanted to contest in Mogoditshane under the BNF of the UDC, when they were still in partnership with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), but I was told to make way for them. I was promised I would be given a position if the coalition took over state power. I moved aside,” he said.
Now, with the BCP having left the UDC, Galebotswe was hopeful that he would finally contest under the UDC in 2024, only to be told to make way for another UDC member party, Alliance for Progressives (AP).
“I was told to make way for AP. This time around, I told them I cannot be sweet-talked into making way for someone with a promise that I could get a different position. I worked hard for everything that I have achieved, and I told their president, Duma Boko, that it was now time I left their party. He asked me what we could do. I told him there was no other way. He shocked me when he then advised me to join the BPF,” he said.
Galebotswe, shortly after joining the BPF in August 2024, contested for the Mogoditshane West parliamentary seat, where he garnered 455 votes. Galenawabo Lekau of the UDC won the seat with 4360 votes. Tumiso Rakgare of the BDP got 2985, Julia Chepete of BCP got 2279, Independent candidates Gatsha Dumiso, Keautule Othusitse and Tirelo Modisaotsile got 166 votes respectively.
Galebotswe said he then cut ties with the UDC, and he started a new journey with the BPF. He said that had he not joined the BPF to continue his politics, he could have been in prison had President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his party, BDP won.
“I am grateful for that, and as long as I will be wearing these yellow colours, I am going to do my best to make sure the BPF achieves what it stands for,” he said.
Galebotswe would then dismiss a cease and desist letter from attorneys representing Lawrence Ookeditse and his National Executive Committee.
Meanwhile, Galebotswe said he and his committee were reflecting on why the party had a chaotic elective congress. He said the chaos was a result of lack of accountability by the party leadership.
“I want you to look at this top table and assess whether the leaders here are responsible. Experts state that leadership is often talked about, taught, but a lot of people do not understand leadership. There are some people who call themselves leaders, but are not leaders. For you to be a good leader, you have to be raised and trained well,” he said.
Galebotswe said he and his team would be responsible leaders who would protect their vote and the process of conducting elections for the BPF.
“There was lack of responsibility and accountability by the leadership in Serowe. That is why you saw the Serowe District Council chairperson stand up, knowing that he was not a delegate, but rather as someone who came to mess up elections. That is the same person we will trust with a P2 billion budget at the council. There is no leadership in him. Even the then party chairperson of the party failed as a leader by disregarding the constitution and ordering elections. That is not leadership,” he said.
He said he had realised that the BPF does not have standards for leaders, which he said they should develop. Galebotswe said the standards would enable party members to be able to be in control of their party. He called on party members to hold their leaders accountable and never allow to be corrupted by being bribed into voting or taking certain decisions.
Galebotswe said even if they could end up being declared as losers after the intervention of the Registrar of Societies, what happened in Serowe would never repeat itself. He even made the attendants say it after him that they would never allow such to happen.