BCP heads to crucial polls
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 2, 2026 08:25
The conference scheduled for July 2026 in Mogoditshane signals a deliberate shift by the party to tighten its internal democratic processes following past electoral challenges. BCP secretary-general Goretetse Kekgonegile said the upcoming elective conference will be conducted under a revised constitutional framework that reflects the collective will of the party’s membership. He said the move follows months of structured consultations, internal debate and reaffirmed resolutions by the party’s leadership structures.
According to Kekgonegile, the foundation for the July 2026 elective conference was laid in December last year when the party convened a constitution review meeting in Francistown. He said the gathering was driven by a clear vision to modernise the party’s governance systems and ensure that future leadership contests are orderly, credible and transparent. “The party reviewed its constitution in December in Francistown with a vision, plan and decision to proceed to an elective conference under the new constitution,” said Kekgonegile.
He explained that the resolutions taken in Francistown were not symbolic but practical, aimed at correcting weaknesses that had emerged in previous internal elections. The review process, he said, was informed by the party’s lived experience and the need to strengthen confidence in its internal democratic culture.
Following the Francistown meeting, the party’s Central Committee met in January this year to consolidate and reaffirm the decision to proceed with an elective conference under the amended constitution.Kekgonegile said this meeting was crucial in translating congress resolutions into actionable steps.“The central committee met in January to re-affirm the decision to go for an elective conference under the new constitution,” he said, adding that the leadership was united around the path chosen by the membership.
He noted that the party has since moved into the implementation phase, with final administrative preparations currently underway to ensure the amended constitution is formally recognised. A key step in this process is the submission of the revised constitution to the Registrar of Societies.
“Hence, final preparations are being done to submit the new constitution to the Registrar of Societies,” Kekgonegile said. “We are positive that the elective conference will take place under the new constitution.” Kekgonegile acknowledged that the constitution review process generated robust debate, reflecting the ideological diversity within the BCP. However, he maintained that disagreement is an inherent feature of a democratic political organisation and should not be misconstrued as division.
“BCP as a political organisation has a diversity of thought,” he said. “Some opinions were not carried within the constitution review process, but a majority view is always taken, and that is what happened.” He stressed that once the majority decision is reached, the responsibility of the leadership is to faithfully implement it. Kekgonegile said members who remain dissatisfied with certain provisions must respect the outcome and await future review processes if necessary.
“Members have spoken and leadership has to implement the will of the members,” he said. “Those with strong feelings on certain matters will have to await the next review if the need arises.” Turning to the internal election timeline, Kekgonegile cautioned prospective candidates against jumping the gun. He said the party’s rules are clear that campaigning can only commence after the official writ for elections has been issued. “As per BCP internal elections processes, those intending to stand for elections must wait for the publication of the writ before they start campaigning,” he said.
He added that the expectation within the party is that the writ will be issued in March 2026, paving the way for formal campaigns ahead of the July elective conference.
Kekgonegile further clarified eligibility requirements, saying the party remains committed to broad-based participation in its internal elections.“All members in good standing, with at least three months’ membership, will be eligible to contest and to vote in the BCP internal elections,” he said.In a significant development, Kekgonegile revealed that the party has resolved to involve an independent electoral body to administer the 2026 Central Committee elections.
He said this decision was informed by lessons drawn from recent internal elections, which were not without difficulties.
“Recent party elections have not been smooth,” Kekgonegile admitted. “That is why the party decided to review its internal election processes and involve an independent election body to run the 2026 Central Committee elections.” He said the involvement of an external body is intended to enhance transparency, credibility and acceptance of election outcomes among members.“This is about improving trust in the process,” he said. “We want an election that is beyond reproach and whose outcome is accepted by all members.”
As preparations for the elective conference gather momentum, the July 2026 conference is expected to be a defining event for the BCP. Beyond choosing a new leadership, the conference will test the party’s ability to manage internal diversity, uphold democratic principles and implement reforms agreed upon by its membership. For Kekgonegile, the significance of the conference lies not only in who emerges as leader, but in how the process itself is conducted.
“The focus is on doing things right,” he said. “We are confident that holding the elective conference under the new constitution will strengthen the party and position it better for the future.”
Some of the resolutions that were taken include establishment of veterans league as a recognised organ of the party and it shall comprised of party elders aged 65 years and above, quota for the marginalized and the conference that a at least 50% of members of the BCP central committee shall be drawn from marginalized groups, specifically including women, youth, and individuals from historically disadvantaged communities.
The congress again, resolved to increase the number of delegates to regional conferences from 20 per constituency to five ward, in order to ensure broader, more equitable participation of party members at the regional level. The congress also gave the Central Committee the power to determine whether the conference may be convened earlier or postponed beyond the prescribed period, as outlined in the party constitution.
In addition, it resolved that the president of the party shall be the party’s presidential nominee for general elections and in the event that the BCP forms government, the president shall assume the office of President of the Republic of Botswana. Again, the vice president of the party shall be designated as the vice presidential nominee and, upon electoral victory, shall assume the office of vice president of the republic. It further resolved that Ex-Officio members of the BCP central committee shall not possess voting rights in the decisions of the committee.