BMD Can Expect P1m And 2,000 recruits-Moyo

EPHRAIM KEORENG
Staff Writer | Monday May 31, 2010 00:00

 

Moyo, the interim treasurer of the BMD, made this promise over the weekend at the new party's first convention in Gaborone.

Saying how he will achieve this feat, Moyo said he will work with BMD members across the country to ensure that every constituency registers at least 2,000 people and give them membership cards. Membership fee for the BMD is P10. 'I am setting myself a target for what I will have achieved in six months.

We have 57 constituencies and if you multiply that by 2,000 and then multiply by P10 you will get the sum total. In my constituency I promise to deliver you 6,000 people in six months,' he told the convention.  The party treasurer went on to reveal that preparations for the convention were P120,000 and told the audience that they can raise the money in a short space of time to pay off the bill.

The optimistic Moyo then proposed that they raise the money through selling the first 100 membership cards by way of auction to the BMD membership.

Immediately, some people agreed that they would source cards numbering one to 10 at a price of P1,800 each and the ones numbered 11 to 100 at P1,000 each.

Though they were told to go to a corner where they could register and collect their cards, there was pandemonium as some people rushed to get the first 100 cards.  Interim chairman, Gomolemo Motswaledi, had to call for order as the rush for the cards disrupted the proceedings. 'Please let us not forget that we still have a lot of things to cover in the programme and time is not on our side. I suggest we stop this auction and do it maybe in August,' he said.

But then some executive committee members together had a brief discussion with Moyo and it was finally decided that those who want the cards will get them soon after the proceedings at the same venue.

Moyo then requested all councillors who have left the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to go and cancel their stop orders at the ruling BDP so that the monthly subscriptions can then go to the new party. 'We have the subscription forms here.

Besides, I want to appeal to those who want to contribute any amount of money, be it P50 or more monthly, to also come to us and fill the forms. It would help the party quite a lot,' he said. The former junior Minister of Finance and Development Planning promised that his treasury committee will be transparent and ensure that they submit financial reports annually detailing how the money was sourced and spent.

'We will have fundraising committees in all our structures right to ward level. We will also tell you where we got the money, but if some financiers want to remain anonymous we will protect them and not reveal them,' he said.

Moyo also implored the BMD convention to scrutinise the BMD interim leadership and satisfy themselves that the leadership is made up of men and women of unimpeachable character. He said it was important for the BMD leadership to have people of integrity so that they can work transparently.

'We don't want a situation where people embezzle funds. We should be leaders who can account for our actions, be it in handling party finances and other things pertinent to the running of this party,' he said. Meanwhile, Botsalo Ntuane said he was happy that the state media, together with Btv was also covering the convention after ignoring them in the past. 'As usual, the private media is here to cover us and we are happy for that. But most importantly, I am happy that the South African Broadcasting Corporation and other South African radio stations like Motsweding FM also came,' he said.