Can constituency allocations separate BPP from UDC?
Ryder Gabathuse | Thursday March 2, 2017 17:08
This question became even more pertinent as BPP president, Motlatsi Molapise made an introspection of BPP membership of the bigger UDC family this week.
Borrowing from the Biblical story derived from the Book of Romans 8:35, Molapise has a well-rehearsed answer: “Nothing can separate us from a project that we have started”.
The Book of Romans 8:35 (New International Version) reads: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Even after consulting the Holy Book, Molapise, a man of God who shepherds his flock at St. Mary’s in Francistown where he is a pastor, is adamant that his party has not come up with a position on whether it pulls out or stays in the UDC project, which he describes as the people’s project.
But, he concedes, that the BPP membership of UDC has challenges as the party general membership feels the leadership is failing them.
UDC is a coalition of parties, which include Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), Botswana National Front (BNF) and BPP.
Until the division of constituencies among the UDC coalition members recently, the four opposition parties’ unity promised to produce a solid opposition family ahead of the 2019 general elections.
The unity is definitely a source of worry to the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) whose fortunes have been waning lately.
BPP was recently allocated four constituencies to contest as a coalition partner but their demand is that they should be given at least seven or eight constituencies.
The party is adamant that amongst the seven or eight constituencies one of them should be any of the Francistown constituencies and Nata/Gweta.
“Our members are saying, our UDC partners can take all the constituencies but not leave us without any of the Francistown constituencies,” Molapise pleaded this week. This he said is the demand of the BPP members.
Can the allocation of constituencies separate the BPP from its partners after such a long journey?
Molapise prefers to answer in a parable: “As a mature politician, I know what the allocation of constituencies can mean in the future of all the parties”. He was reluctant to elaborate.
His emphasis is that the BPP will continue talking within the parameters of the UDC.
He concedes however that pressure is mounting from party members that they will not settle for less in terms of constituencies allocated their party.
In essence, the BPP leadership, which recently penned a letter to the UDC president, Duma Boko demanding more constituencies, is under strict instructions to move faster and provide answers.
“I don’t know why people think that I have teamed up with the BMD president, Ndaba Gaolathe to press for more constituencies for the BPP,” Molapise wondered.
He is of the view that some of the issues within the BMD partners need to be properly managed within reasonable time rather than prolonging them unnecessarily.
“If people can think they can toss the BPP around thinking that it’s a small party, then there is something wrong.” The BPP has since consulted a team of some UDC elders and have since met Boko and the promise is that the constituency issue will be attended to quickly.
Molapise reminded UDC partners about the need to protect the UDC because it is a national project that should not collapse.
“The BPP is not fighting anybody, we are simply saying let’s share resources equitably.
Our contention in simple terms is that as a reliable partner, we need more.”
To the best of his knowledge, all the UDC partners did not do well in the north in the 2014 general elections and his ideal situation is that the parties can now start on a clean slate and create a legacy that will not leave the opposition with regrets.
“If we didn’t do well in 2014 elections, then where are our partners who did well to support us winning the 2019 general elections,” he said, suggesting that the parties should consider a total merger and become a solid unit.
Before the allocation of constituencies, Molapise and other UDC leaders including Boko were in constant communication. Why can’t they talk now?
Molapise who speaks with a diplomatic tone is optimistic that the constituency issue will be resolved amicably since some elders have moved in. UDC spokesperson, Moeti Mohwasa explained this week that the UDC national executive committee is yet to deliberate on the BPP issue. Interestingly, the BPP has representation in the UDC National Executive Committee (NEC) as Molapise sits in the UDC NEC by virtue of being its chairperson, which means they can also fight for the matter to be resolved expeditiously from within.