the monitor

BPF throws spanner in the works in Kgalagadi South

Political analysts say the Kgalagadi South by-election will serve as a litmus test for the strength and direction of the BPF  PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE
Political analysts say the Kgalagadi South by-election will serve as a litmus test for the strength and direction of the BPF PIC: KENNEDY RAMOKONE

The Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), which made headlines last year after pulling out of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition just months before the 2024 General Election, has once again drawn public attention, this time for fielding its own candidate against 'friends' for the upcoming Kgalagadi South Constituency by-election.

This development has raised eyebrows within political circles, as it contradicts earlier perceptions that, despite the BPF’s withdrawal from the UDC coalition, the two parties still maintained a cordial working relationship.

In the months following the split, some BPF Members of Parliament had publicly expressed their support for the ruling party during parliamentary sessions, a move that left many questioning where the party’s loyalties truly lay. The situation became even more complex when President Advocate Duma Boko’s administration appointed some BPF members to Cabinet positions, an act that many interpreted as a sign of political cooperation between the ruling UDC and the BPF. However, BPF president, Mephato Reatile, confirmed last week that they do not have any arrangement with the UDC outside Parliament and council.

Editor's Comment
Boko should stop the fighting and start the delivering

With his theme of 'Delivering on Our Promise, One Step at a Time', he sought to project an image of a focused, determined leader building a new ‘Rome’. Sadly, parts of his speech were not about laying bricks, but about settling old scores.It is deeply worrying that a head of government would use such a pivotal national address to launch another bitter broadside against the media and his political detractors. His portrayal of the...

Have a Story? Send Us a tip
arrow up