We posit that if his approach is widely adopted by members of his faction (Barata-Phathi) and crystalises into an ethic it could have serious consequences for the party. The move could spell doom to the patronage and paternalism that has for so long held the party together and ensured its continued stay in power.
The strength of Kwelagobe's campaign seems to have been his unflinching argument that he was contesting for the party chairmanship in accordance with the constitution of the BDP against the advice of the party president, Ian Khama. Kwelagobe's determined stance and 'defiance' of Khama was hailed by the Barata-Phathi and the private media as highly principled and constitutional. However, when examined in the light of history of factionalism in the BDP Kwelagobe's much hyped position is rather a dubious honour. For instance, in 1997 the then President Ketumile Masire prevented Central Committee elections by nominating members from each faction of the party. The Barata-Phati (then known as Kwelagobe-Kedikilwe faction) did not protest Masire's move as unconstitutional.
