UDC needs a united BMD

Mmegi Editor | Wednesday February 15, 2017 11:34

Batswana learnt from the four leaders that cooperation talks were concluded and the launch is scheduled for winter this year. This bold step by the opposition parties did not please everybody in the opposition bloc. It became clear that a certain faction within the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) is holding Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) at ransom. 

It is common cause that this faction is opposed to the membership of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) in the UDC. To achieve its mischief, this faction bought the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) to fight its cause.

The BMD factions as they have played out in the past two years or so, are highly corrosive to the success of the UDC. UDC needs a united BMD for progress.

It is clear that the BMD needs to go back to the boardroom and strike peace. If BMD factions continue, as is the case at the moment with Ndaba Gaolathe/Wynter Mmolotsi vs Gilbert Mangole/Nehemiah Modubule, the party will continue to derail progress at UDC level and that would cost both BMD and the UDC. It is therefore crucial for the BMD leaders to put their differences aside for the sake of the organisation.

Surely, these men need to work together for both the BMD and the UDC and Batswana at large who have so much faith and hope in the UDC. If peace fails within the BMD the elders and contracting partners should intervene to ensure unity in the BMD. 

The BMD will be going to its elective congress in July where they can come out united or divided. And UDC leaders should also deal with careerists within the moribund BPP who want to benefit when change happens.

Some within this dead party think they can blackmail the UDC by threatening to withdraw from the alliance. This is the party that only managed to get one councillor countrywide. One wonders how they can demand eight Parliamentary constituencies when it failed at council level. What is wrong with the Motlatsi Molapise-led outfit?

In fact, the BPP was very sensible during the talks and that these outrageous demands are made by Molapise to benefit a faction within the BMD. They want more constituencies so they put up some moneyed BMD members as candidates. In fact, the negotiators did the BPP a favour by allocating it four constituencies, which they are all going to lose.

The biggest winner in the cooperation talks is the BPP, which was allocated four seats, which they do not deserve. On a parting note, the opposition cooperation is what the doctor prescribed to rescucitate our democracy. 

Today’s thought

“We have sacrificed our resources, time, energy and ideas for the UDC to be what it is today.” 

– Motlatsi Molapisi