Of BPF’s rattling presidency
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday December 2, 2025 08:20
From its earliest days, every president who has attempted to steer the party forward has faced continuous internal conflict, persistent divisions, and unending power struggles. These tensions have often spilled beyond internal forums, extending into the public arena and even reaching the courts.
To begin with, the party’s founding president, Biggie Butale, experienced significant challenges throughout his tenure.
From the outset, some members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) frequently clashed with him, creating an atmosphere of mistrust and tension. As disagreements intensified, the situation gradually escalated to the point where the internal disputes were no longer manageable within the party structures.
Eventually, the conflicts reached the legal system, forcing the courts to become the final arbiter of political disagreements that should ideally have been settled through dialogue and party processes.
Between June and August 2023, the BPF found itself entangled in yet another intense struggle for the party presidency.
During this period, different factions within the party took their battle to the courtroom. Although Butale managed to secure two legal victories, these wins did not bring him peace or stability.
Instead, some members continued their resistance, refusing to accept the court’s rulings.
At one stage, these internal forces went as far as suspending him from his presidential role, further deepening the crisis and highlighting how fragmented the party had become.
As tensions mounted, the NEC began holding meetings without Butale. During one such gathering, they passed a resolution to remove him from office completely. Despite his attempts to challenge the NEC’s decision through legal channels, his efforts were unsuccessful. This outcome marked the end of his leadership era and opened the door for new leadership to take over, although it soon became clear that the leadership question within the BPF was far from settled.
On August 4, 2024, Mephato Reatile assumed the presidency, stepping into a role still burdened by unresolved disputes and lingering animosities. Despite his efforts to bring order, he, too, found himself embroiled in persistent division within the NEC. Instead of improving, the environment worsened as factional lines hardened and disagreements deepened. Reatile inherited a fractured party, and rather than uniting behind him, several members continued to resist his leadership.
The situation escalated further when Reatile made a critical and highly controversial decision. Using his presidential authority, he announced the withdrawal of the BPF from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition.
This move, which significantly altered the party’s political direction, sparked outrage among certain NEC members. Many viewed the decision as unilateral and felt that such a major shift required broader consultation. Consequently, this deepened existing tensions, with some members becoming even more determined to challenge Reatile’s authority and remove him from office.
Ultimately, the internal tensions reached a defining moment at the Serowe elective congress. During this pivotal gathering, Reatile lost the contest for the presidency to Lawrence Ookeditse. The defeat marked not only a shift in leadership but also a turning point in the ongoing factional battles within the BPF. After attempting to resist the transition and fight back, Reatile eventually reconciled with Ookeditse, acknowledging the outcome of the congress and accepting the new leadership. This gesture suggested his willingness to step back from confrontation, at least publicly.
However, the aftermath revealed yet another twist in the ongoing saga of BPF leadership struggles. Reatile had previously formed a faction within the party, a group of loyalists who had stood by him throughout the disputes and court battles.
But following his loss and subsequent reconciliation with Ookeditse, he abruptly abandoned the faction.
Many within the group felt blindsided, left in uncertainty and confusion. His sudden departure created feelings of betrayal among supporters who had invested their trust and energy in his leadership.
Over the years, the BPF has become characterised by leadership instability, persistent internal battles, and recurring power struggles. Each president, from Butale to Reatile, has encountered relentless opposition from within the NEC, revealing a deeply entrenched culture of factionalism. The frequent clashes, court cases, and sudden shifts in leadership indicate a broader structural problem within the party. Currently, eyes are on the courts of law and the Registrar of Societies to put to rest the matter.