Scratching Scars Of Palapye Debacle Wounds
Thalefang Charles | Monday July 12, 2021 15:46
Even though UDC president and Botswana National Front (BNF) leader, Duma Boko later claimed the infamous 1998 ‘Palapye Debacle’ never crossed his mind as he drove to Palapye, many in opposition will never forget what happened here 23 years ago.
It was at Palapye Community Hall that the BNF members during Easter holidays in 1998 went into a bare-knuckle fight that eventually led to the formation of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Returning to Palapye was therefore akin to the Botswana Movement of Democracy (BMD) returning to Bobonong to sort out their problems following the 2017 bloodbath at Matshekge Hill School.
The vice president of the BCP, Kesitegile Gobotswang was the only one honest enough to admit that in fact, the choice of Palapye as a venue brought him such great discomfort because of history. “I was initially not comfortable with Palapye thinking about it [Palapye Debacle].
This is why I had to bring a big bottle of water to a meeting,” he jokingly said to Boko as they left the meeting. Boko interestingly said, “It didn’t really cross my mind. I had totally forgotten about it”. Some political commentators say many of the current UDC problems could be traced back to the Palapye Debacle. “Some of the distrust that is happening between the BNF and the BCP comes all the way from the day they threw chairs at each other at Palapye Community Hall,” said one commentator. Nonetheless, the UDC National Executive Committee successfully convened at Cresta Botsalo Hotel here.
The closed meeting, which was scheduled to be held at Botsalo’s Nsunge Conference Room, had to be moved to a wheelchair-friendly Mokala Conference Room. After the four-hour meeting, Boko came out in high spirits, looking relieved and calling out newspapers that predicted there would be tensions.
On the other hand, the BCP president Saleshando kept a poker face. The two leaders happily sat together for a lunch. And the UDC spokesperson could not let the rare opportunity go without record, as he invited the media to quickly snap away at the two men. Saleshando had earlier in the week shockingly announced that he has not had phone contact with his coalition partner, Boko, this year. Observing the hearty conversation through lunch, they had much to catch up on. Later after Boko left with his personal assistant on a blue Range Rover and BPP’s president Motlatsi Molapise got chauffeured out in a Honda Fit, the BCP delegation briefly convened for their own debrief.
It was president Saleshando and his deputy Gobotswang, Motsei Rapelana – the only woman in attendance and Denis Alexander. Their meeting extended all the way to the parking lot where they could be heard debating some issues they were uncomfortable about. This morning the leaders of the UDC are expected to demonstrate their unity at a press conference in Gaborone and prove that the weekend’s scratching of scars of the Palapye Debacle did not open up any old wounds.