BCP big guns differ on opposition unity
Onalenna Kelebeile | Tuesday October 6, 2015 12:02
Speaking during a political rally in Bobonong on Sunday, Phage said they built the BCP and made a commitment that they would defend its policies. “Our party leadership will address its membership and get their views and opinions at the right time. Ga re tsene hela that would be utmost disrespect to us. It is normal for a political battle to have cowards who would want to derail our focus as the BCP,” he said.
Phage said some people have fallen prey to underground tactics and have stopped recruiting and mobilising membership for the party.
“The issue of cooperation is still on the negotiating table and if sound reasons are advanced then we will join. Besides this, I personally do not trust Umbrella for Democratic Change president Duma Boko. I want to negotiate with a politician whose philosophy I trust. I am the founding member of the BCP who wants to see it grow,” he added. But the host, the party’s parliamentary candidate for Bobirwa Taolo Lucas would not be drawn into attacking the UDC, saying the party is not in power and does not owe him anything.
Lucas rubbished allegations that he and other party members are against the BCP joining the UDC. “I personally cannot stop the negotiations because the talks are not between individuals but parties. If the two organisations have a common ground on the issue then who am I to stop them?” he said.
He added that negotiations need to be accorded due respect and enough time.
“Negotiations are still yet to start. I advise our members not to condemn and attack others because it could contaminate the process. You will be duly informed once the negotiations start. Diparty di tla buisana ka thulaganyo ee dumalanweng eseng nna, Phage kana Chillyboy,” he added.
Lucas said he was furious over reports that after losing the BCP race for the vice presidency in Kanye, he was now contemplating joining the ruling party. He said he could not throw himself into a brotherhood of “devils”.
“I fight for my party not personal gains. It is my calling. I accept Kanye results and I have even informed the party president that I will continue to work tirelessly to take BCP forward. In fact I have already started by addressing rallies countrywide,” he added.
He said he would still contest the 2019 parliamentary elections that would mark his fourth attempt. Another speaker, the president of the BCP Youth League, Macdonald ‘Chillyboy’ Rakgare said BCP may have lost the general elections but they are proud that the party performed well in Bobirwa. He said he is in the BCP to stay and added that they will continue to mobilise membership for the party as well as defend its policies until 2019 and beyond.
“BCP is here to stay and we will fight for what our party represents and we will align its programmes and policies to match the current living demands. If we are not careful this country will be ruled by foreigners and Khama’s allies,” he said.
Later, Lucas told Mmegi it is not true that they are a faction within the BCP that is opposed to the party joining the umbrella. He said they are hosting rallies in order to mobilise membership for the party using sound party policies. “Negotiations can go on but our policies must be used as a yardstick.
This was a normal mobilisation rally that was rich in substance and policy message and had other ingredients of a normal rally like jokes and occasional outbursts. Our issue is mainly recruitment and mobilisation on the basis of party policies,” he said.