BPF sets out its agenda
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday August 16, 2019 18:00
FRANCISTOWN: Perhaps, in anticipation of the over-stretching resources required in politics, especially in an elections year, the BPF has for now chosen to concentrate its efforts only in 18 constituencies; majority of which are in the Central District, the party’s main target.
After the recent party’s National Executive Committee’s (NEC) deliberations, it was concluded that the new kid on the political block will initially restrict itself to contesting only 18 constituencies across the country.
The constituency distribution is as follows: Tati-West, Tati-East, Nata-Gweta, Francistown-East, Boteti-East, Mogoditshane, Mahalapye-East, Mahalapye-West, Palapye, Ghanzi South, Lobatse, Shoshong, Lerala/Maunatlala, Serowe West, Serowe South, Serowe North, Letlhakeng/Lephepe and Mmadinare.
In the set up, BPF is revealing the areas where it is contesting after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) wrote to the party recently demanding where it would contest the coming general election. Further, the party concluded that in the rest of the constituencies, the BPF would enter into strategic alliances with the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in an endeavour to help the coalition oust the shaky Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has been in power since Independence in 1966.
Constituencies where the BPF will back up the UDC include and not limited to Bobirwa, Tlokweng, Boteti West, Gaborone Bonnington South, Gaborone Bonnington North, Kgalagadi South, Chobe, Okavango and Sefhare-Ramokgonami amongst others. The BPF has applications for council seats from 49 constituencies and so far the party has also approved 219 applicants for council seats. The party is a breakaway party from the BDP and its formation last May came at a time when the BDP performed badly at the 2014 general election where its dwindling popular vote reached an all time low of 47 %.
In the words of the new party’s founding patron and former president Ian Khama, the only reason for the BPF’s existence is to deny the BDP victory in this year’s general election. He has already accused President Mokgweetsi Masisi-led administration of misrule.
At a BPF political rally in Palapye recently, Khama threatened that if the alliance partnership of the BPF and UDC won the elections, Masisi and his allies would have to face the wrath of the law. He promised that a commission of inquiry would be instituted to determine how the ruling elites immersed themselves in corruption especially relating to awards of tenders for works to their friends.
BPF publicity secretary, Justice Motlhabani confirmed this week that his party has decided to hit the ground running in an endeavour to close the gaps for lost time as they join the campaigns for elections in earnest.
“The party NEC has opted to contest those 18 constituencies and we are putting in place the right tools so that we take our competition head on in the political arena,” he told Mmegi conceding that the leadership will explain further the nature of strategic alliances with the UDC.
Whilst the BPF spokesperson was reluctant to reveal he names of their candidates in the 18 constituencies, it is apparent that BPF president, Biggie Butale is contesting Tati-West, Oboetswe Gabotlale, a member of the BPF NEC runs for Boteti-East, Bruce Nkgakile for Mogoditshane, Fox Segwai is the candidate for Ghanzi South and Lazarus Lekgoanyana, another NEC member, is contesting in Mahalapye East.
As for Lerala/Maunatlala, the BPF recently sent a delegation to the constituency to talk to Prince Maele and it is destined to report back to the NEC, but it is clear that the BPF is contesting the area.
Whilst the BPF is adamant that it is contesting the Palapye, Serowe West, Serowe South, Serowe North, Shoshong, Mahalapye West party is not revealing too much as to who are the candidates save to say, “wait for big surprises.”
In Letlhakeng/Lephepe, the BPF candidate is MP’s office former administrator who has since fallen out with Lika Kablay just like in the Mmadinare constituency where the BDP is expected to lose big as one of its candidates is likely to exit at the 11th hour when least expected.
The BPF NEC will reveal more on September 7 on their achievements since the party elected its office bearers in Palapye recently. The party will hold its first press conference billed for the Tati River Lodge on the day. The event will culminate with the much awaited manifesto launch at the Francistown old stadium hosted by the Francistown region.
The party’s NEC will for the first time face the press as a collective to lay bare the party’s values and philosophy at a time that the BPF is viewed more as a party formed by bitter people guided by personality clashes with the Masisi administration. Meanwhile, University of Botswana (UB) senior lecturer in politics, Dr. Kebapetse Lotshwao’s view on the matter is that like any new party, the BPF will struggle to unseat the BDP, or win insignificant votes in the forthcoming general election.
The UB academic’s analysis is that the BPF will be lucky to win any of the 18 constituencies that it plans to contest.
“Firstly, besides criticising President Masisi and the BDP, the BPF is not telling the people what it will do for them. Secondly, after many years of being in power, the BDP is well entrenched in these areas. It can invoke some of its past developmental achievements to mobilise people to vote for it,” the political scientist pointed out.
Lotshwao concluded that the BDP would be worried if the BPF worked with the other opposition parties in the 18 constituencies.
Despite leaders of the BPF stating that they will work with the UDC, Lotshwao noted that the UDC is careful not to state its position on the issue, “as they know that this would disappoint some UDC followers who detest Khama, especially workers, middle class people, and people outside the Serowe area.”