Balopi leads BDP public lecture in Francistown

RYDER GABATHUSE
Staff Writer | Friday February 25, 2011 00:00

 

Party veteran, Patrick Balopi will lead the proceedings, which will be held under the theme: 'History of Botswana Democratic Party.' The Francistown public lecture completes the BDP's three lectures in the party's month as two others were held in Gaborone and Serowe recently.

In Gaborone, it was the party's first executive secretary and former cabinet minister, Kebatlamang Morake who led the public lecture, whilst in Serowe the first woman politician and also former cabinet member, Dr Gaositwe Chiepe, led the public lecture.

In common, Chiepe, Balopi and Morake are members of the BDP's council of elders. The council of elders is embedded in the party constitution and plays an advisory role. One of the chief roles of the council of elders is to reconcile party members.

Information sourced from the BDP headquarters shows that, initially Morake was billed for Francistown, whilst retired president Ketumile Masire for Gaborone and Chiepe for Serowe.

When Masire could not make it in Gaborone due to ill health, Morake was shifted to Gaborone with Balopi closing the gap in Francistown.

BDP executive secretary, Dr Comma Serema was yesterday elated that the Friday public lecture 'will help the BDP kill two birds with one stone.'

The public lecture will be held on the eve of an important by-election in neighbouring Shashemooke.

'So, the BDP team will be in Shashemooke for the motorcade in the morning of Friday with a star rally later in the afternoon before we proceed with the public lecture at 6 pm,' emphasised Serema.

Giving a synopsis of issues, Balopi is likely to feature at the public lecture.  Serema indicated that the party veteran is likely to 'basically talk about the history of the BDP and in particular, the differences between us (BDP) and the opposition parties.'

He further emphasised that whilst there were people who were dismissing the BDP, 'our history shows that whilst we were not the first political party to be formed in the country, we are known to have completely dislodged the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) from its very stronghold making it completely irrelevant in Francistown.'

Serema says that Balopi who was previously the party's MP in Francistown has a better story to tell to all and sundry.

'Besides that we found other political parties in existence, we became a formidable force. To the young democrats and other party enthusiasts, this is the history that they need to familiarise themselves with going forward.'

Serema gives the whole credit to Balopi and party faithfuls he worked with for a job well done.  He stressedthe point that: 'The BPP was very strong in Francistown then, but party elder Balopi is one of those who helped to dislodge the BPP.  As we celebrate our 49th anniversary, we are eager to sell this history to all and sundry.'

Serema is also upbeat that the BDP public lectures are relevant in that they help party faithfuls not to forget their values.

'It helps one to believe in a manner that is consonant with the values of the party,' he pointed out and added that sometimes history is a good teacher.