Moswaane Explains Coalition Choice Over Joining Party
Chakalisa Dube | Monday September 21, 2020 16:41
Moswaane has for some time been strongly linked with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), which is an affiliate of the UDC. However, on Friday he announced that he has since decided to join the UDC directly instead of joining the coalition through the BCP.
“After consultation with my constituents and those around me I felt that it is worth joining the coalition directly instead of joining through the BCP or any party in the UDC. For example, had I joined the UDC through the BCP it would have created unnecessary tension because already there are those who have created insinuations that I want to challenge for the 2024 general election under the BCP banner while the constituency belongs to the BPP, which is not true,” he said.
Last month it was reported that in a bid to lure Moswaane the BCP had reportedly promised him that he would be allowed to contest the 2024 General Election under the UDC banner. Under the reported proposal, Moswaane will not go through the primaries. This is despite the fact the constituency was allocated to the Botswana People’s Party (BPP). The party contested the constituency (under the UDC ticket) at the last general elections.
Moswaane said he is interested in contesting the next general elections, but said that he will only do so on condition that the UDC leadership and ordinary members are open to the idea.
Moswaane remained, however, elusive when asked if he intends to join any party within the UDC rather than being just an associate of the coalition. It is also worth noting that if one is not a direct member of the contracting parties he or she cannot contest the general elections.
“My take is that at the moment we should not be thinking about which party or candidate will contest in Francistown West. UDC leaders will explore the best formula for winning the constituency at the next general elections and advise better. It should not be about individuals or their parties. I do not want to talk about the possibility of joining any party in the UDC for now,” Moswaane said.
The BPP has come out clearly indicating that Moswaane cannot contest the elections unless he joins a party and goes through the primaries.
“Francistown West is a BPP constituency. There is no party within the UDC that will contest the constituency unless there is approval from the BPP members,” BPP vice president, Mbaakanyi Lenyatso said recently.
“Fresh negotiations on constituencies and wards can only take place when a new party joins the UDC. Moswaane is a well groomed Pan-Africanist. As a Pan-Africanist he knows that he should embrace peace at all times. Pan-Africanism is about unity. He should join the BPP if at all he wants to contest the 2024 general elections as well as maintaining unity in the opposition coalition.”
There is growing speculation that the BCP wants to suggest (to the UDC) that allocation of constituencies be renegotiated with a view of getting Francistown West and ultimately giving the constituency to Moswaane to contest at the next general elections.
Sources have said Moswaane is expected to join the BCP in due course.
The BCP has refused to engage on details surrounding Moswaane’s recruitment with the media.