BNF demands two more constituencies

Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday March 15, 2017 16:19

The constituencies under contention were given to the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).

Early last month the BNF Youth League also demanded that the party should be given the Lobatse constituency. In total, the BNF has been allocated 22 of the 40 constituencies allocated to the initial partners of the UDC.

The BMD got 14 while the BPP will have four. The BNF, BMD and the BPP are initial partners of the UDC. The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) who are a new entrant in the UDC set up got 17 constituencies.

The BNF’s recent demands emerged during a meeting organised by the mainstream negotiating team of the initial UDC partners last Thursady in Gaborone.

At the Thursday meeting the BPP was represented by vice president Mbaakanyi Lenyatso and chairperson, Richard Gudu while the BNF was represented by its secretary general Moeti Mohwasa and vice president Moiseraele Dibeela. Mohwasa is also the spokesperson of the bigger UDC.

Vice president, Wynter Mmolotsi and national chairperson, Nehemiah Modubule represented the BMD.

“The BNF persisted with its demands to be given two constituencies, but they were told that the matter will be referred to the presidents of the three parties (to deal with it),” an insider said.

Mmegi has also established that the BPP’s demand to be allocated more constituencies has also been referred to the presidents of the three UDC founding partners. The BPP is demanding to be allocated an additional four constituencies on top of the four it has already been allocated.

“There was also a debate around the two vice presidency positions. At the meeting there were those who were of the view that there should be senior and second vice president but others held a contrary view.”

A high-ranking source further said, “Those who held a contrary view said that the positions should be equal since there was no agreement with the BCP that they will be the first (senior) and second vice president”.

Yesterday, Mohwasa said that he is deeply worried by instances where internal party meetings are leaked to the media.

“I cannot reveal if indeed we referred differences over constituency allocation to our presidents or not. All I can say is that when main mainstream negotiating teams do not agree on certain factors such issues are referred to the party presidents to deal with them,” Mohwasa said yesterday.