BDP Gabs region to scrap Bulela Ditswe
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday December 2, 2015 15:27
Instead, the party’s branches will be empowered to bring forth a single consensus candidate who will then be endorsed by the central committee. The latest move is a change from recent proposals within the region that the party hold primaries for the 2019 general election, as early as next year in order to provide time for a campaign to retake the capital city from the opposition.
Mmegi has learnt that a special congress held over the weekend instead decided to scrap Bulela Ditswe in the Gaborone Region, while also resolving that the party implements a similar arrangement for councillors as well.
“Members also adopted a single public relations strategy for the 2019 elections campaign,” highly placed sources said.
Gaborone regional chairperson, Bontsi Monare, declined to share details on the weekend congress, saying the resolutions were yet to be forwarded to the party’s central committee.
“The meeting was internal. I don’t know where you got that information and I will not comment,” he said.
Political analyst Zibani Maundeni said the latest strategy by the BDP cannot guarantee its success in all the constituencies in 2019. “The main question is whether the party is able to attract people or not. As much as they want primary elections issues to be dealt with on time, they have to research whether people are still attracted to their party in the Gaborone constituencies.
“That will enable them to work hard on areas that people are not happy about,” Maundeni said Former BDP executive secretary, Batlang Comma Serema, said the move was good, as it will empower regions to deal with challenges from close range. “Regions are the ones who know their problems and it is best for them to hold special congresses which help them to come up with resolutions. I remember in 2007, the Gaborone region came up with resolutions during their special congress again and that helped the BDP snatch constituencies from opposition parties in 2009. We only lost the Gaborone Central constituency that time,” Serema said.
Sources said the region also resolved that Parliament should be lobbied to review the Constitution of the Republic with a view to increasing the number of constituencies in the country from 57 to 80.
“The same review should include the review of the Constitution to allow for 40 seats to be distributed through a proportional representation modality. The combination be henceforth adopted as a hybrid in advance of the 2019 general elections,” a copy of the resolutions leaked to Mmegi reads. The BDP region is also hoping for an increase in specially nominated councillors to allow the consideration of more women, youth, disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities.
It is also proposing that the party leadership commission a team to develop the best model for political party funding most relevant to Botswana for consideration and resolution at the BDP’s National Council next year.
Gaborone democrats also want the party to introduce a law on Citizen Economic Empowerment.
“The Congress believes that a clear law that puts the citizen first is long overdue. Delegates also want the government to regulate the rates of rental in the Republic to protect consumers from a market which is fast getting unaffordable for the middle class and indeed the poor,” the document reads. The Minister of Finance has also been asked to review the state of the economy with a view to increasing salaries and wages of civil servants while government has been requested to adopt the incentive of a 13th cheque for civil servants in the context of the Economic Stimulus Programme.
The Congress also resolved to pursue better working relations with the Botswana Federations of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU).