UDC to vet unity negotiators

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday May 27, 2016 18:00

 

Opposition talks were supposed to begin in April, but vetting is still to take place.

“UDC is made up of three parties which are the Botswana National Front (BNF), the Botswana People’s Party (BPP) and the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD). These parties have brought names to the UDC office and therefore our office will sit down and decide on the names of who will represent it.

 The names brought by all parties in the UDC are not final,” UDC secretary general, and BMD president, Ndaba Gaolathe told Mmegi.

Gaolathe said negotiation talks are a process hence the final negotiators confirmed will have to undergo training first sometime in June before the talks can start.

“It should be understood that people need training and guidance on how they should handle or talk in negotiations. When someone is negotiating for a movement, it is different from when he is doing his own. The talks should not be controlled by emotions or what one wants,” he said. Gaolathe assured that the negotiations will start as soon as all processes are covered which are important to all parties. He said all opposition parties are committed to opposition cooperation.

But Mmegi has learnt that other opposition parties had requested the BMD to solve some of their internal problems.

The other partner’s worry is the issue regarding Sidney Pilane’s membership, especially since his name has been submitted for the negotiations.

“The parties want the BMD to resolve the matter because Pilane cannot sit on the negotiation table if indeed he is not a member of that party.

 Again internal party fights that involve the party executive committee have a potential to bring instability to the UDC.

That is the reason why the BMD president and his vice have started touring the country addressing the matter,” a source said.

The source revealed that other opposition parties feel that internal issues of cooperation talks could be leaked if some members do not belong to any of the parties.

The UDC is expected to release the names of the negotiators by the first week of June. If UDC approves Pilane’s name, he will be in the Constitution negotiating team. BMD has chosen him and deputy secretary Botlhole Peleng.