The BPP insiders told Mmegi that Ntsima’s suspension has nothing to do with misconduct but rather just a smokescreen to jeopardise his meteoritic rise within the BPP. Before Ntsima joined the BPP, he was a member of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). “Ntsima’ suspension is a ruse because he does not harbour any intentions of becoming the president of the BPP in future. He is being purged because of his alleged presidential ambitions although he does not have any interest in contesting for the presidency of the BPP. The truth of the matter is that the BPP has long promised its members that it would hold an elective congress but the party has not done so in years.The BPP members who are calling for the holding of the elective congress are being targeted by some members of the Central Committee (CC) and even those who are seen as potential presidential contenders of the party are also targeted,” said a source close to the goings on in the BPP.
The source added: “Ntsima is being targeted because he is believed to be sympathetic to BPP members who want to see radical changes being implemented in the running of the party.” Following the BPP’s impressive performance in the 2024 General Election, some concerned members of the BPP petitioned the party’s CC calling for the holding of the elective congress amongst a host of radical changes. Their letter partly read: “We, the concerned members of the BPP, express our concerns regarding the current leadership and CC’s failure to adequately represent our interests at both the BPP and UDC levels. It appears that there is a preference for recruited cadres from other political parties, as well as those individuals who demonstrate financial stability. We submit this list of demands in the light of recent observations regarding the effectiveness and representation of the CC. Our commitment to the party and its ideals necessitates that we address the following issues: We demand an immediate scheduling of an elective congress to ensure that the CC operates with a legitimate mandate from the party membership. It is unacceptable for the central committee to function without a formal vote of confidence from the party members for an extended period.”
