Mamela says BCP not in a hurry to cooperate
Onalenna Kelebeile | Tuesday November 25, 2014 14:14
Speaking during a political rally the party addressed in Selebi-Phikwe on Sunday, Francistown South parliamentary elections loser Vain Mamela, said there are so many issues they will have to iron out first with the UDC regarding their relationships with certain organisations outside the country before they can consider cooperating with them (UDC).
“Umbrella is not the only model that we can agree on after all. UDC has already launched scathing attacks on us yet they want us to join them. If they need us why have they created an atmosphere of insults,” he said.
Mamela stressed that BCP pulled out of negotiations in 2011 on the grounds that they would reconsider when conditions permit and said they do not owe UDC anything.
The BCP firebrand, renowned for his acerbic tongue, said as a result of its unimpressive performance during elections, his party has attracted criticism from just every “Jack and Jill”.
He added that there are alternative models in which BCP can cooperate with other parties and wondered why there has been much political arm twisting on the BCP while they are not desperate. “We will continue to build this organisation and transform the economy of this country. Our party was voted by 140,000 people who we should take seriously.
“Our party decisions are collective therefore our president Dumelang Saleshando cannot make decisions on his own. We will continue to consult with our membership across the country on the way forward until we go to the congress in July next year,” he said.
He rubbished reports that Saleshando makes decisions on his own. Mochudi East constituency’s regional chairman Phillip Monowe concurred and said that “BCP cannot just sacrifice its soul to brotherhood of evil” , emphasising that they need to protect their identity.
“We must evaluate without any pressure from anybody, for us to make an informed decision. We were voted by masses that we must take seriously and we cannot afford to betray them only because of what happened in the southern part of the country,” he said.
He rubbished calls for BCP to introspect and join the Umbrella and said they are still evaluating the results of their performance and said their policies and that of the UDC differ. He regretted that Botswana politics are being contaminated by petty politics. For his part former BCP youth president Lotty Manyepedza also said they took time to build the BCP and making uninformed decisions about it may have devastating outcomes on their party. “BCP is a big organisation and a champion of cooperation and is a people’s movement. We are in consultation with our membership and we agreed that the issue of cooperation is not a priority in our agenda after the elections,” he said.
Manyepedza said they do not trust the UDC and that they are still studying it.
“We want to know the relationship it has with the Japanese actor and the Liberian who visited them before the elections. Ga re gane bokopano, re batla go le itse botoka,” he added.
He further said they are confident that their three MPs will satisfactorily grow the party.