BCP to announce Shadow Cabinet

Ryder Gabathuse | Thursday March 6, 2014 17:40

 

According to the BCP publicity secretary Taolo Lucas told Mmegi that the meeting in Gaborone will, among other issues, announce the date of the launch of the party manifesto and candidates for the October elections.

“Most importantly, it’s after the weekend meeting that the BCP will announce its first ever Shadow Cabinet and its functions,” said Lucas.

“At our weekend meeting, that’s where we will put specific dates and deadlines to our plans for the elections and beyond,” he said, and added that obviously they are advanced with the issue of the manifesto launch.

“We shall, however, come up with the modalities of launching our chief elections campaign document, the party manifesto,” Lucas said.

He also stated that the BCP would make a reflection on its policy on affirmative action, which affects important constituencies of women, youth and disabled persons indicating that the policy will only be partially implemented.

“We have a policy of affirmative action that the party has agreed upon and whilst we may not fully implement it, we have an obligation of showing our position by far,” said Lucas.

The BCP’s affirmative action policy adopted at its July Selebi-Phikwe congress states that the party could handpick competent women, youth and the disabled to contest general elections. These special groups can also be given preference when they seek to be part of the party’s high positions without formal elections.

The policy also stipulates the members of the same groupings lesser fees to contest the party primaries and get greater campaign resources during general elections.

The weekend meeting will also discuss controversial decisions which include the Francistown South parliamentary saga in which a barred parliamentary aspirant, Interest Tawele has threatened to take the party to court.

Another decision that the BCP leadership is destined to make over the weekend relates to whether the party should hold fresh primaries or make do with Dr Habaudi Hobona who won a by-election in the Francistown West constituency recently.

Mmegi is reliably informed that BCP may allow Hobona to stand without holding primaries in Francistown West.

Lucas has however, stressed that it is the weekend leadership meeting, which will come up with decisions going forward.