Postponement angers BDP young turk
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday May 21, 2014 11:25
When Mmegi broke the news to one of the contenders that the Masunga elective congress has been postponed to a date after the general elections in October, he was shocked. The congress was supposed to take place on May 30.
The candidate, speaking on condition of anonymity, argued that the decision was to favour the other contenders aligned to the A-Team faction.
“We know that the decision was taken after learning that the current youth league chairman was not prepared for elections. His handlers had to rescue him from potential embarrassment,” said the candidate.
He alleged that the chairman Andy Boatile could have been aware of the intended postponement because of his proximity to the executive committee of the BDP.
“We will lobby other contenders to pull out of the race in protest.
We were prepared for the elections after campaigning across the country. We wasted our hard earned money only for the factional party leadership to postpone the elections. This is uncalled for and undemocratic.”
Another disappointed contender was Mpho Setuke.
“It is a shock to us. We are disappointed because we had already finalised everything. We know the congress is next week and we have incurred costs over the sum of P30,000. We covered up to 80 percent of the constituencies around the country,” said Setuke.
Even more shocking to Setuke is that the BDP executive did not consult them and other contending teams before deciding to postpone, believing that only Boatile and his team knew.
Boatile however, denied that the postponement was done at his instance. He said his detractors know very well that he is not a member of the executive committee.
“I was not even part of the meeting. If anyone has a query they should address it to the executive committee,” said Boatile.
He said the NYEC would meet some time this week or early next week.
The BDP secretary general Mpho Balopi was cagey with information when reached for comment. “I cannot say anything now. It is better you wait for a press release tomorrow since we are in a meeting discussing the issue,” Balopi said.
But sources within the executive revealed that some members of the party leadership feel that the youth elective congress might bring divisions in the party before the general elections.
“They felt that the party structures should focus on general elections as a unit,” said a source. Another said the party leadership felt that the campaign for NYEC was dirty and divisive hence the postponement.