BNF, BCP unite for SRC elections

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Tuesday February 22, 2011 00:00

The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and Botswana National Front (BNF) branches at the UB have said they will work together again to win the SRC polls. The BNF operates at the UB under the Movement Against Student Suppression (MASS), while the BCP goes by the name University of Botswana Congress for Democracy (UBCD).

Representatives of the two youth bodies addressed a press conference at the Gaborone Civic Centre on Friday to announce the intention to jointly contest the SRC polls. 

The president of MASS, Khumoekae Richard, who wants to be the SRC president told Mmegi that they are serious about opposition unity. 

He said by entering into a coalition with the BCP, they want to send a message to the outside world. Richard said the youth are always in the forefront of revolutions. He said the BCP and BNF ideologies are almost the same. He believes that they would make the best team if they capture the SRC leadership. He said they will transform the SRC and introduce the ministries of health and international students.

He said foreign students have not been represented in the SRC. He said at times during strikes, the authorities declare that everyone should vacate campus within 30 minutes and this does not take cognisance that there are foreign students at the university. He stated that the current SRC is silent on national issues but this will change when he takes office. 'The SRC should be addressing national issues.  We should also hear the SRC commenting on foreign issues like the recent developments in Tunisia and Egypt,' he said. 

He said they will work towards forming a national union of students and incorporate other tertiary education students. He stated that they have already held meetings to pursue the idea.

Kgotso Kennekae of BCP said they want to follow what their leaders have been preaching about opposition unity. 'We decided to work together with the BNF so that we can have a quality leadership. 

We have decided to work together to topple the current SRC and replace it with a capable leadership,' he said. 'We are looking forward to a good working relationship with the BNF.'

Their priorities will be to amend the SRC constitution and address the issue of students' allowances.

In a statement, the two organisations said they have not formed a new movement by entering into a coalition. 'Each party shall retain its identity and ideology.  The policies of these two student movements have been harmonised in order to produce a student-orientated manifesto.

This development comes at a critical time when our mother parties are also in cooperation talks.  The opposition both within and outside UB cannot continue splitting votes while they are speaking the same language. 

Our continued disintegration can only strengthen the outdated and politically irrelevant Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).  Opposition cooperation is the only remedy to ending the prolonged and undeserved stay in power of the BDP,' the students said.

The agreement between the two parties indicates that out of the 13 SRC cabinet posts, MASS is going to be allocated seven, while six will go to UBCD.

'MASS-BNF and UBCD-BCP remain steadfast to the cause of justice, democracy, good governance and torch bearers in the cause of opposition politics.  This coalition should send a very strong message to our mother parties that come what may; opposition coalition is a must.'

The MP for Okavango, Bagalatea Arone who attended the briefing threatened to pursue other options in the next elections if the opposition does not work together.  Arone said opposition parties have been handing over victory to the ruling BDP in elections.

As the BCP chief whip in Parliament he has been meeting with his BNF and Botswana Movement Democracy (BMD) to push their executives to pursue unity.

'We have to take power,' said the legislator. He said the initiative by the students should be a lesson to the BNF and BCP. 

BNF deputy secretary general, Nono Kgafela-Mokoka applauded the move by the students.  She described UB as the hive and hub of political activity.

The UB academic said she has watched with dismay when some students do not comply with the SRC resolutions. She called for opposition unity as she chanted BNF and BCP slogans. 

Other party officials who attended the event included the president of the BNF youth league, Kagiso Ntime and the former BCP president, Gil Saleshando.