As captured elsewhere in this publication, it never rains but pours for the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF).
The party, a splinter of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), finds itself trapped in a cycle of internal conflict that threatens its very existence. The recent so-called ‘peace deal’ between Lawrence Ookeditse and Mephato Reatile has not brought calm, but instead ignited fresh flames of betrayal and rebellion.
This is a dangerous and familiar path. We have seen this story before. Look at the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), another BDP offshoot. The BMD was consumed by similar internal wranglings, eventually collapsing and becoming a shadow of its former self.
The BPF is now teetering on the edge of the same cliff. The current crisis is deeply worrying. A press conference meant to announce peace has created more confusion.
Reatile appears to have made a personal deal, leaving his own faction feeling abandoned and angry. His team members speak of betrayal, having learnt about the agreement from social media. They are rightly questioning the legality of a president simply handing over power “tsaya tanki” without following any constitutional process.
Now, the BPF has two committees each claiming to be its legitimate leadership. One side dismisses the other as fired, while the other declares the Serowe congress unconstitutional.
This public squabbling is poison. It confuses party members, erodes public trust, and makes the party look chaotic and unfit for the serious business of governance. Batswana deserve better. They need parties that are focused on national issues, not consumed by personal ambitions and internal power struggles. The BPF’s constant infighting is a betrayal of the voters who placed their faith in them.
Therefore, this is a direct call to the members and leaders of the BPF; Stop this self-destruction now. Learn the stark lesson from the BMD’s fate. A party that cannot govern itself can never hope to govern the country.
The solution is not in backroom deals made by a few individuals. It lies in the party’s own rulebook, the constitution. All members must put aside personal pride and return to the principles of democracy and due process. The planned extraordinary congress or any other agreed on platform, not just representing Reatile must be used to resolve these disputes transparently and legally, not as another battleground. The leaders, Ookeditse and Reatile, must show true leadership. This means prioritising the party’s survival over their own personal positions. They must unite their followers, not divide them. The BPF stands at a crossroads. One path leads the party to becoming a footnote in history, like the BMD. The other leads to stability, credibility, and a future where the party can effectively serve its purpose. For the sake of their supporters and for the health of Botswana’s democracy, its members must choose wisely, and choose unity. The time to stand for your party is now!
“You don’t get unity by ignoring the questions that have to be faced.” - Jay Weatherill
