BPF members put pressure on NEC

When the councillors were earlier recruited from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), the deal was that they would not be challenged during primaries but contest the General Election unchallenged. Now, the BPF general membership demands that the deal be reneged upon, and the affected councillors contest for the primaries like all others.

“When we previously recruited councillors from other parties, people were excited about the move and how the party was growing. It is shocking that some members are complaining that the National Executive Committee (NEC) has exempted those members from primaries. That was part of the deal that they would not be challenged in the party primary elections. As NEC, we have simply fulfilled what was agreed upon by the previous NEC,” BPF secretary-general Lawrence Ookeditse said. He also said it is not true that structures were not consulted when decisions were made since they are the ones recruiting members for the party. The party SG said structures get involved at an early stage of recruitment and even deals made by the NEC, they do become part of them since the NEC is not the one dealing with constituency issues.