'We talk to the parastatal leaders, they are not hired' - BDP

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Thursday June 10, 2010 00:00

Lately, there has been a mass exodus of people from the BDP to the Botswana Movement for Democracy, a party that sprang out of the ruling party.

In an interview, Garekwe said they met with some people who are associates of the ruling party, calling them 'Friends of the BDP', to discuss and get advice on how they could improve in our dealing with the media.

'We also discussed economic and social issues that the party could play a part in. When you are with a friend, you tend to discuss with each other in confidence and speak openly about certain issues. That is what happened. We just met over a cup of tea and had these discussions informally,' he said.

When Mmegi wanted to know whether the 'Friends of BDP' were getting paid for their professional counsel, Garekwe indicated that the 'friends' were not hired consultants but just friendly associates doling out advice freely.

The BDP spokesman did not agree that by seeking the advice of parastatal leaders and other private sector captains, they were virtually confirming the long held suspicions that the ruling party engages its own cadres in positions of power in the corporate world.

He said that some of the 'friends' are BDP sympathisers who share the same political views with the party whilst they are not BDP members. Some are just opposition party members who have no qualms in giving us ideas on how to deal with challenges. So, they are not necessarily our people,' he said.

Garekwe also refuted rumours that he, together with publicity committees, will be relegated to spectator roles as the new players or 'BDP friends' take over the rolling out and implementation of the strategy.

'I am the public relations manager as you know and there is no one who will be taking away the role of implementing the strategy from me. I will be working together with the publicity committee members, who have been involved all the time. We have also roped in heads of sub-committees of the BDP central committee to help us,' he said.

He added that the party has also picked some people from the party with expertise in politics and media relations to consolidate the BDP's media strategy team. They include Dr Alfred Tsheboeng, Dr Comma Serema and specially elected Member of Parliament, Vincent Seretse, he said.

Meanwhile, Garekwe indicated that he will be touring the country with party members to give them a report on the status of the party, especially regarding defections.

He said as the BDP, they admit that people are leaving the party for the BMD mostly out of excitement that there is a new party, 'but soon they will come back in large numbers. As we speak I am sure some are coming back to the BDP,' he said.

The BDP spokesman also said that he had been to Francistown and lately Maun where they addressed journalists, the BDP regional leadership of the North West and Francistown to update them about the latest developments in the party and 'how the party is responding to the BMD challenge'.