�BDP popular vote will shrink� � analysts
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday April 17, 2014 15:48
Of late, Tsholetsa House has been hit by resignations from aggrieved members, especially those that lost at Bulela Ditswe last year. Already two Members of Parliament have decamped.
Tonota Member of Parliament (MP) Pono Moatlhodi joined the Botswana National Front (BNF) yesterday while Lentsweletau/Mmopane MP Moeng Pheto has registered as an independent Parliamentary candidate.
UB political analyst Dr Bashi Mothusi said these among other resignations would inevitably affect the party at the polls.
Mothusi told Mmegi in an interview that one of the things that will affect the BDP popular vote is the issue of civil servants who have been disgruntled for a long time.
“The fact that the BDP leadership is undermining the Public Sector Bargaining Council (PSBC) angers workers even more.
The BDP cannot ignore the fact that it needs the workers’ vote in the coming elections and the Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) has more than 90,000 members,” he said. Mothusi said the resignation of BDP MPs and councillors shows that the party is no longer as stable as many thought it is. He said that there is no way the BDP popular vote can increase if members are resigning. Mothusi asserted that councillors are closer to electorates and party structures and usually defect with some of the members.
He emphasised that if one were to read Dr Margaret Nasha’s recently released book, Madam Speaker Sir, one would tell that things are not well within the BDP.
He said that it is clear ordinary members are afraid to face President Ian Khama and complain about his leadership style.
Another UB political scientist Professor Zibani Maundeni said though the impact of those leaving the party cannot immediately be felt, it is a certainty that independent candidates are going to split the BDP vote.
He said it is suicidal for any political organisation to lose members when elections are just around the corner.
Maundeni said that the BDP should be worried looking at its popular vote and this could affect its performance gravely.
“It has a trend of its popular vote failing something that is not good for a ruling party,” Maundeni said.
He said if its popular vote can be less than 50 percent then it will be a sign that it was chosen by the minority. BDP executive secretary Sechele Sechele said that they were concerned about the defections.
“Of course we are concerned about our members who resign from the party and that is why we are talking to some.
Some of those who had resigned had reversed their decision after the party met with them,” Sechele said.
The last National Assembly elections saw the BDP receiving 51.73 percent of the vote, its lowest figure since independence.