Fireworks expected at BDP congress
Thursday, April 26, 2007

The BDP secretariat has of late been inundated with inquiries from members across the country seeking pertinent information related to the congress and elections. This will be President Festus Mogae's last congress as leader of the party and state president.
As it has become the norm, nobody has challenged Vice President Ian Khama for the party chairmanship. There is generally concern why Khama is not stepping down to allow other people to run for the chairmanship when it is a given that he will be ascending to the presidency. Some people hope that Khama might announce from the floor of the congress that he is stepping down from the party chairmanship. It is said the biggest battle in the BDP this year will be between Education Minister and current BDP deputy secretary general, Jacob Nkate and former BDP youth leader and Gaborone regional committee chairman, Gomolemo Motswaledi. The two are seeking to succeed the long-serving Daniel Kwelagobe as secretary general.
After weeks of conflict, court battles, and disrupted healthcare services, the promise of talks beginning May 10 offers hope. But this can't be another hollow truce. Both sides must now commit to genuine, good-faith negotiations. The stakes — patients’ lives and public trust in the healthcare system — are too high for half-hearted efforts.The dispute began when doctors, frustrated by what they called 'exploitation' in emergency...