BMD fracas likely to dent UDC chances
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday April 28, 2017 18:00
Morima was responding to a recent scuffle at the BMD office between rival factions and a failure by the party to organise special and youth congresses, saying the latter leaves a lot to be desired. “There is need for total overhaul of the party national executive committee and national working committee.
It is very clear that the committee has failed and members in it are failing to work together. That really frustrates the members most,” Morima said.
Morima said there is no need for motherbody members to refuse for special and youth congresses to be held if indeed party structures have collapsed. He continued: “Collapse of structures are not healthy for any party.
If parties have no peace, it is wise for it to go to congress, which is a supreme body for it to have a say on what executive committee could do. Party congresses are there to guide those who are in leadership because the party belongs to the people”.
He said the other leaders in coalition with BMD, Botswana National Front (BNF), Botswana People’s Party (BPP) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP) should intervene because dispute within BMD might affect them badly.
Morima said if a party cannot manage itself then people might not trust that it could rule. “For one to rule, you have to manage yourself first. This tension might lead others to defect, especially high profile people.
Even those who were intending to join might retrace their steps. Motherbody factions have affected the youth league committee. Factions are dangerous for any party and they do affect parties in elections,” he said.
A senior member of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) disclosed that the BMD fracas is likely to affect the coalition in a big way. “If you deal with certain leaders of the BMD, you are not certain if you are dealing with a faction or not. Apart from that we will end up being aligned to a certain faction,” said the leader from one of the UDC parties.
He suggested that the BMD warring factions should compromise for the good health of the movement.
“They need each other and should go to a conference with a compromise list to ratify it. If they prefer elections, it will be brutal than the Palapye BNF 1998 debacle.” He explained that in 1998 the BNF was in a much better state than the BMD, but they fought over an agenda item.
The 1998 BNF debacle saw the birth of the BCP after a bloody battle between supporters of the late Dr Kenneth Koma and Michael Dingake. The leader continued: “Compromise has its disadvantages, but the BMD should be assisted to reach a compromise. They need a facilitator for compromise”.
The BMD constitution says the National Working Committee (NWC) should carry out decisions and instructions of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and conduct the current work of the movement and ensure that regions, branches, wards, cells, the leagues, the elders’ advisory council, and all other structures, the Parliamentary and council caucuses, carry out the decisions of the movement.
It says NWC should submit reports to each NEC meeting.