UDC, BCP differ on the name
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday February 1, 2017 09:01
The opposition parties were expected to have announced some of the items they had agreed on this week, but it is still not clear whether the announcement will be made or not.
During the negotiations, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) had proposed that Batswana are not confused as to the status of the umbrella and to change it would risk sowing seeds of confusion in their minds and creating fertile ground for suspicions of disunity and mistrust.
According to a source, the UDC said the name should stand as it is while the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) said the name should change to UDC+, to acknowledge the participation of the new partner.
“On the other hand, the view of the UDC team was that the change will give an impression that we are not together as a united force and team,” the source said.
Mmegi is in possession of the cooperation document which indicates that the president of the UDC is supposed to be elected from amongst the presidents of the coalition parties.
“The presidents will have to decide amongst themselves, and the selected candidate to be confirmed at the next congress. The vice president of the UDC was to be elected from a different coalition member party from that of the president.
The chairperson and secretary general was to be selected from the remaining two political parties to ensure equitable distribution of the top four executive positions amongst members of the coalition,” it states.
Mmegi has learnt that the president of UDC, Duma Boko has not yet consulted the national executive committee of the UDC on what they had agreed with BCP president Dumelang Saleshando.
The agreement for cooperation in 2019 was between the UDC and the BCP only while other members of the party central committees were in different negotiation committees of the talks.
The parties also agreed that direct membership of the UDC should be allowed.
“The parties agreed on the clause in the UDC clause (clause 8.1) of the constitution which states that, “group members shall remain autonomous bodies governed by their own constitutions, but they shall abide by this (the UDC) constitution and the policies of the Umbrella” which policies will, in the process of the UDC negotiations, be agreed to by all parties.
“It is our considered view, that the sentiments expressed at Clause 8.1 MUST remain in the New/Revised constitution of the UDC if we are to instil intra-Umbrella discipline and commitment to the course of taking over and governing the country in a professional and people-centred manner,” it says.
However the BCP public secretary, Dithapelo Keorapetse said the announcement will be made on Friday but they would not divulge anything.
UDC head of communications, Moeti Mohwasa said the UDC leadership met yesterday and he will get a briefing from them.