BNF Stalwarts To Lock Horns At July Congress
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday March 30, 2020 18:35
Incumbent leader, Duma Boko has been at the helm of both the BNF and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
Boko, who is a lawyer by profession will face-off against Prince Dibeela, the renowned pastor who commands a strong following, for the party’s reins.
This is yet another test of strength for the sapped BNF to see if it will come out of the July congress further divided or as a united party. The BNF has not known peace since the UDC made the detrimental ruling during the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) fracas that Sidney Pilane acted in accordance within the party constitution, which led to the inevitable splinter party, Alliance for Progressives (AP) led by Ndaba Gaolathe. By then some BNF members who sympathised with Gaolathe decided to dump the party to join AP.
“The campaigns for the two lobby lists are becoming dirty. It’s time the members start to know that they would need each other after the congress to (re)build the party. We need a free and fair election,” a source said.
The source added that the members have been complaining that Boko has been giving his role in the UDC coalition a priority over his leadership role in the BNF, which resulted in the party losing most of its seats in the 2019 General Election. Another source said Boko has managed to bring party stability, which is still being enjoyed. University of Botswana political analyst, Lesole Machacha said the problem with the BNF is that it has never been fully united because of its ideology and its unity is always in installment.
“Every time when they have an elective congress, they start to reveal others’ secrets and attack one another. The problem with the party is that everyone thinks they can reason better and have better solutions than the other. It’s hard for BNF members to compromise and look at the bigger picture, which is the party,” Machacha said.
“There is too much debate, which kills the party. Look at how Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) operates, its members do take instructions even if they do not like them because they are more like family members. With BNF members, that cannot happen because they are too much about their rights.”
He said it is difficult for someone to think that the two lobby lists could work together after the congress except for members who like the party whether they are in positions or not.