�We Were Not Invited�
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday October 23, 2017 15:02
This is despite the fact that some of their members have already been invited.
The Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) offspring will be launched on Saturday and today will be their branding launch. At their branding launch, it will unveil its logo and its merchandise that would be worn by members.
Ndaba Gaolathe and his comrades registered the party recently after the two BMD factions, another led by Sidney Pilane, failed to work together.
The AP secretary general, Phenyo Butale said they had invited all opposition parties including their previous party, BMD.
“We are expecting representatives from different opposition parties because we have invited them to grace our launch. As opposition parties, we need each other. It should be understood that our biggest enemy as opposition parties is the ruling party,” Butale stressed in an interview.
BPP director of elections Shathiso Tambula said he has not seen the invitation but said the party president Motlatsi Molapise has mentioned it before that they had received it. Molapise could not be reached to ascertain when the invitation was sent.
The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) however said they have not been invited. The party spokesperson, Dithapelo Keorapetse said, “our party office has not received any invitation from the AP.
If it was brought to our party office, we could have seen it”. Botswana National Front (BNF) secretary general, Moeti Mohwasa also said they have not received any invitation from the AP.
“It is not true that they have invited BNF. Maybe they had invited individuals, not the party. There is a difference between an individual and a party. The BNF does not have any agreement with the AP as of now,” Mohwasa said.
One of the invited BNF guests is Pono Moatlhodi who confirmed that he was invited as a speaker and also to grace the day. Moatlhodi recently called one of the radio stations speaking highly of Ndaba.
“It should be understood that I am a BNF card carrying member. I will have to ask my party first if I am allowed to attend or not. I cannot go against my party because I have signed that I will abide by the rules and regulations of the BNF.
I hope the AP has informed the BNF on the matter because I do not want to be seen as a person who wants to go against the party,” Moatlhodi said.
He said he will not attend the event if his party has not been invited or informed about his invitation. On being requested to prove that invitations were sent out,
Butale said it could be that the invitations could have not reached the parties yet as the process of delivering invitations is ongoing.
Meanwhile, The Monitor has learnt that the BPP will hold its leadership forum on November 4 at which they will decide whether they should continue with their affiliation to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) or not.
The BPP has been close to the AP and it is rumoured that they have a working relationship with the party.