BDP declares war on Barata-Phathi

TSHIRELETSO MOTLOGELWA
Staff Writer | Tuesday March 23, 2010 00:00

 

In the strongest sign yet of the no-nonsense attitude of the A-Team leader and party President Ian Khama, the statement has declared the gathering illegal, effectively demanding Barata-Phathi members quit the party and form their own.

The party indicated that since the meeting was not sanctioned by the BDP, it remains illegal and inconsequential to the party's business, warning that anyone who took part in the gathering should either quit the party or face strict disciplinary action.'Barata-Phathi meeting was illegal as it fell outside the institutional framework of the Party structures and was not sanctioned by the a Constitution. The central committee has therefore resolved that organisers of the new break-away Party and the conveners of the so-called Barata-Phathi meeting, who took part in the unlawful assembly should surrender their membership cards of the BDP within 48 hours to the Main Party Office in Gaborone,' reads the statement.  The A-Team led central committee has rejected the demands of the Barata-Phathi, submitted to the party which included 30 conditions. 'Nothing short of a total surrender by His Excellency, the President, this group of people of his constitutional powers, functions, and duties as Head of State and Leader of the Party - we have found that the sum-total of these demands are simply untenable, outrageous and cannot be met. It is also to be noted that their demands are inconsistent with their decision to quit the Party,' declares the statement.

The BDP concluded by promising members that it would deal with the situation and remain focused on delivering the Party's national mandate as government.  The BDP statement is the first form of communication released from the party leadership after the weekend gathering of the Barata-Phathi. The Barata-Phathi resolved to form a new party in view of the irreconcilable differences between the faction and the leadership of the party controlled by their archrivals the A-Team and President Khama.