BPP likely to follow Gaolathe to new party

Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday September 19, 2017 16:25

It is widely thought that Gaolathe’s faction will soon break away from the controversy ridden Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and subsequently announce the formation of a new party.

In fact, Gaolathe is expected to deliver a special announcement during a meeting that will be attended by members of the faction tomorrow in Gaborone. It has been speculated that the announcement of a new party may be made at tomorrow’s meeting.

“We still remain committed to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). We however do not rule out the possibility of joining a new party if at all it will be formed. In politics anything can happen. At the moment we have not spoken to Ndaba’s faction regarding joining them. They have also not approached us,” said BPP spokesperson, Tshepo Makhani yesterday in an interview with Mmegi. 

In recent months, there have  been many instances of disharmony between the BPP and other UDC partners, particularly the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP).

Amongst others, the disharmony is borne of the fact that the BPP does not believe that the BCP was properly welcomed into the UDC. The party has not honoured all UDC executive committee meetings featuring the BCP.

To this day, the BPP maintains that it was not allocated enough constituencies (to contest at the 2019 general elections) by the UDC. The party has made demands for more constituencies, but the UDC is yet to respond.

Although it does not recognise the new UDC, Makhani said the BPP will help with campaigning at the Tshimoyapula ward by-elections in Serowe. The new UDC will contest the elections against the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

“Just like I said before, we remain committed to opposition unity despite some reservations we have regarding certain things within the UDC,” he said.

Makhani noted that he is optimistic that differences amongst the UDC parties will be resolved soon.