BDP concedes bulela ditswe headache

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Monday August 16, 2010 00:00

After the party leadership forum/Pitso held at the Maharaja Conference Centre in Gaborone on Saturday, BDP secretary general Thato Kwerepe said that though Bulela Ditswe is democratic, it always brings problems to the party.

However, the Pitso acknowledged Bulela Ditswe as a democratic process that should be retained in choosing party candidates for elections. Kwerepe said there are some limitations identified in the implementation of the process and this needs to be addressed. He explained that the limitations became clearer after the BDP engaged consultants to help in introspection following the current changes that have been going on in the party. These include the breakaway of some members to form the Botswana Movement for Democracy  (BMD). The consultancy identified six key challenges that were adopted as key topics for discussions at the Pitso. Bulela Ditswe was among the topics. The other challenges identified by the consultancy are dysfunctional party structures;  reconciliation and party unity; fund-raising; party visibility and self-interest. The consultancy came up with recommendations to tackle the challenges.

Bulela Ditswe has been linked to problems in the ruling party as disgruntled losers are always reluctant to accept the results. Such people often leave the party to stand as independent candidates (mekoko).

It was regarded as the cause of the record number of independent candidates in last year's general elections.

Two weeks ago, the BDP was grappling with problems of Bulela Ditswe when losers in the primary for Tonota North constituency by-election protested the result claiming foul play. The party leadership had to intervene to calm down the situation.

The BDP Pitso discussed the issue of self-interest, concluding that there will always be problems if members put their interests ahead of those of the party. The party leadership had always labelled defecting members who are now at the BMD as self-seeking individuals who always wanted to put their interests ahead of those of the BDP. Cabinet minister and BDP chairperson for culture and publicity, Shaw Kgathi denied that the Pitso was called to discuss defections.

He explained that they are looking at the bigger picture, which is restoring their dominance as a party of choice in the 2014 general elections. Kgathi said he was confident that the BDP has come out of the Saturday Pitso as a much more united and stronger party than ever before.