Internal feuds Since the party’s president Mokgweetsi Masisi took over the reins at the BDP, it has been rocked by intra-party disputes resulting in severe instability. Masisi himself appeared to be less committed to ensuring that there is peace within the party. It appeared he favoured certain personalities at the expense of others who have fairly worked for the party. The likes of Mpho Balopi and other party veterans who were integral to the party’s victory at the 2019 polls were sidelined owing to their reported poor relationship with Masisi. Without experienced and versatile politicians who understand the grassroots, the BDP lost touch with the voters, something that might have contributed to its dismal performance at this year’s polls.
Weak communication teamsThe other weakness of the BDP was its communications wing which appeared unworried over the deteriorating state of the party. It limited its mandate to releasing routine communications such as calling press conferences and did not do enough to counter narratives that were spewed to soil the image of the ruling party. While the BDP had a strong online presence individual candidates failed to utilise social media platforms to engage voters. On the flip side, opposition parties most notable the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) candidates dominated the social media space in a bid to drum up support for their parties.
