Responding to a question at a press conference held at Gaborone's Maharaja Conference Centre yesterday, Balopi said he was selected after he instinctively took the BDP central committee through a rigorous debate as a member of a sub-committee of the party at a meeting in August this year."In August as a member of a BDP sub-committee, just on the first day of our meeting, I debated seriously on various issues at length with the central committee. At first people held back, but later joined in the debate. Afterwards I asked myself if I had committed a crime, but I realised later that everyone was smiling," he said.
Balopi said after the central committee meeting, he was nominated to the post of BDP secretary general on September 5, 2011. "All the members of the central committee supported my nomination. It was 100 percent, there was no dissenting voice," he said.The new secretary general told the media that after his accession to the post, he met with BDP party president Ian Khama who assured him of his fullest support. "He told me: 'the ball is in your court, as long as you ensure that the BDP rules continuously'," he said. Balopi also said that the BDP is a progressive party, premised on strong foundations laid by its founding fathers. He promised that they would enhance and utilise all communication platforms within party structures.
