New BDP youth leader lambasts his predecessors

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Wednesday June 23, 2010 00:00

 

In a wide-ranging interview with Mmegi shortly after being appointed following a compromise, Monare said he believed the youth structure could effect meaningful transformation despite failing the youth and the BDP in general in the past.

'My colleagues did not do justice to the structure,' Monare said. 'We need to take collective responsibility for the failures of the past two or so committees that rendered the structure voiceless in the BDP.

'There is now a very common misconception that BDP youth are marginalised or suppressed when the truth is that the previous National Youth Committees have not represented the people well.

'With structures in 57 constituencies and the privilege to sit in central committee meetings every month, we can achieve a lot. If the President was willing to give the youth 50 percent of all special nominations for district councils, why can't we push youth issues more effectively?'

In Monare's view, Khama opened the door to the youth when he addressed their congress last Friday. 'He opened the door to say, 'Challenge us with your ideas,' and we intend to exploit that avenue, Monare said.  'However, as I said in my acceptance speech, we will not make unreasonable demands.'

He was in agreement with sentiments of Party Chairman, Daniel Kwelagobe, about lack of inner party democracy as the major problem of the BDP. 'We share and support his views,' he said. 'We need to look at our systems; we need to be prepared for tomorrow.'

In response to a question regarding the breakaway Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), Monare said he would rather wait to see if the new party could prove itself a force in local politics. 'They are not there yet,' he said. 'They exist as a pressure group.'

Mmegi also asked Monare to what extent he attributed the emergence of the BMD to Khama's intolerance. 'It was more than just divergent views which caused the split,' he said. 'People based their conclusions on perceptions and not on core issues.

'But there have been undercurrents which we will tackle, though washing our linen in public is something we will not do. We will deal with them internally.'