BDP Gaborone Region In Membership Drive
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday August 22, 2016 16:00
The campaign, spearheaded by its Secretary General, Botsalo Ntuane, was also graced by Health Minister Dorcas Makgato and Gaborone South MP and deputy speaker Kagiso Molatlhegi, as well as chairman of BDP committee of elders Patrick Balopi, amongst notables. Balopi told members of his party to always seek help and advice from the party elders to avoid damaging the Party’s reputation among voters. “The party elders are there to give guidance and help to resolve issues that arise. Our aim is not to run party with anyone but youth leaders should know that certain things require intervention of elders or veterans,” Balopi said.
He said the events of 2009 are the ones that led to the BDP losing Gaborone constituencies except Gaborone South.
Balopi said the elders were worried when people left their party with high numbers but had no answers to many questions that were being asked by people. “To us 2014 results did not come as a shock because the BDP had internal problems. The elders could not help because they were not asked to do so, but today I feel our party has learnt a lesson from that. It is time now we go back to our roots and basics,” he said.
Balopi said it would be sad for one to deny that the BDP seems to be into two factions which is the new and old one.
The chairperson of council of elders said this is because youth leaders had forgotten the key fundamental point that the party belongs to people and have to own it. According to Balopi, party members need to be committed and determined for their party but once they lose that, it is a sign that things are not well. “People feel that they are owning the party when they are consulted and by empowering them to run it in their structures. You will hear their children singing its songs time and again whether in work or at home. That is the BDP that we know. “Ke gone jaaka re re ke ya rona le bana ba rona,” he said. Still at the campaign, Ntuane said he is very worried that some BDP members do not attend party activities. He said recruitment drive includes every BDP member and all members need to take part in it. “I know some did not attend because they wanted the invitation to come from the central committee. “It should be clear to anyone that this region got the mandate to have this event from the central committee,” Ntuane said.