BDP Backbenchers to bar Cabinet from party structure
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday March 13, 2020 15:59
The above position was taken at the recent backbenchers secret meeting. Their bone of contention is that Cabinet Ministers are supposed to account to the party’s central committee and therefore if they occupy party positions then they would not be held accountable.
It the position of the backbench is to be adopted and implemented by the BDP, it would not be the for first time that Ministers are barred from contesting for party positions as a similar scenario happened during former President Ian Khama’s administration.
“Our aim is to bring the motion to party National Council that is supposed to be held this month. This will allow the members to debate it. Our concern is that Ministers are suppose to be selling party policies to people and delivering per the mandate that they are given by the party. If someone is a Minister and also a secretary general how would he account?” a source said.
He explained that Ministers have lot of work to do in the ministries and the party also requires time and therefore one person cannot hold two key positions at the same time. “We want Ministers who can deliver in their jobs without having to give excuses. That is the reason why some of them are not taking Parliament serious because they are not accountable to anyone. We make policies every year at the National Council and Ministers there are suppose to brief us whether those policies yielded fruit or not,” a source said.
Another source said they need Central Committee members who would be able to revive party structures without being busy with any ministerial duties.
In addition the source said the party President Mokgweetsi Masisi always emphasising on delivery and ensuring that the government creates employment where possible and it would be difficult to that mission to be achieved when Ministers also double up in party structures as office bearers.
“All these need time and a person cannot do that when on the other side there are issues he or she needs to attend at party office. The other issue we are complaining about is for the President to consider reducing or cutting the number of Cabinet Ministers. Ministers are more than half of the elected MPs and that kills independency of Parliament. The number is too much,” the source said.
Still on the issue, BDP chief whip Liakiat Kablay said he was not part of the meeting but he supports the motion. “Even if I was not part of that meeting I do support what the concerned MPs are saying. People cannot hold two positions that are key at the same time. We have BDP members who could serve in the party central committee apart from Ministers. They should just concentrate on their ministries,” Kablay said.