UDC leadership cautions bickering youth affiliates
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday January 21, 2016 12:25
UDC is made up of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), Botswana People’s Party and the Botswana National Front (BNF). Of recent, bitter exchange of words among the youth affiliates have dominated the social media. The BNFYL is accusing the BMD and BPP youths of meddling in their internal youth election campaigns.
This has prompted the UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa to condemn the act.
“If indeed BNFYL once played a role in BMD divisions then they were wrong. The youth should know that there are proper structures that they could report at for an action to be taken against others. BNFYL should report their grievances to the relevant structure and stop attacking other members on Facebook. That is not allowed. The youth are supposed to give each other support,” said Mohwasa.
One of the BNFYL presidency contenders, Kago Mokotedi, said the BNFYL as an organisation is under a sustained attack from internal and external forces. “It appears that the source of the sharp divisions are occasioned by the looming YL elections. I have long stated that I am committed to a compromise settlement, which will eradicate the factionalism within the league.”
He continued: “I have no doubt whatsoever that all contenders are committed to a compromise. Unfortunately, nothing has been achieved so far to harmonise the two lobby groups. Efforts have been minimal to reach such consensus.”
He said though him and another contender for the presidency, Khumoekae Richard have support within the BNFYL leadership, what shocks him is that those among the leadership of the youth league who are aligned to his lobby list are labelled as instruments of divisions and abuse of office.”
He said there is also a festering and worrying trend among their partners within UDC.
“There are some who in their usual self-worth exaggeration believe that their interference in BNFYL lobbies will make a difference in my campaign and the outcome of the BNFYL congress. That’s a mistaken belief (sic).” Mokotedi said it is disturbing that the factions are taking a dangerous detour because they are driven by perceptions, propaganda and outright intolerance for others to express political choice and opinion.
“Some comrades are preaching compromise while perpetuating bickering and factions. I am open to a compromise based on mutual respect, with all parties willing to bend and be accommodative,” he said.
“I am also told that some members of the BNF, who are associated with my campaign, assisted a certain lobby at Mochudi BMDYL congress. If it’s true, that was unfortunate. I was personally absent in the country and therefore could not have in any way interfered in the BMDYL congress and campaigns. I cannot be blamed for Phenyo Segokgo’s victory at Selebi-Phikwe, neither can I be blamed for his Mochudi out sweep,” he said.
BNFYL publicity secretary, Malatsi Mokhubami, accused BPP member, Mbaakanyi Lenyatso of interfering in their internal affairs.
“You are an elderly BPP member who needs to reprimand yourself. Meanwhile some youthful BMD members who continue poking their noses into BNF Youth League’s internal affairs are just fighting for an unjust political war that they will not win. We don’t take advice from a clique of political anarchists who are also political outsiders for that matter,” Mokhubami wrote.
Lenyatso then responded; “I will never put myself on your level and blame myself for things that I don’t have control over.
Let’s see how far you will go with this. Being bigheaded after being elected in political office will never take a politician anyway (sic). It’s a pity you are trying hard to use BNF but we know it’s not BNF it’s just a group of cowards trying hard to be relevant in politics. I don’t insult people on Facebook, I know what it can do to my name but it seems it’s your hobby.”
The outgoing BNFYL secretary, Arafat Khan, responded on the same Facebook status that BNF youth league is going to vote for its leadership not an ethnic pressure group.
It is an open secret that the BPP is a north east based movement with strongholds in the Kalanga dominated region.