Mmegi

It’s now or never for BCP

Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president, Dumelang Saleshando, says if they do not get victory in this year’s polls they will never win the following general election in 2029. PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president, Dumelang Saleshando, says if they do not get victory in this year’s polls they will never win the following general election in 2029. PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

MAUN: Botswana Congress Party (BCP) president, Dumelang Saleshando, says if they do not get victory in this year’s polls they will never win the following general election in 2029.

Saleshando, who has been extolling his party as the most organised when it comes to election preparation, told followers who had attended the BCP conference during Presidents’ Holidays that the opportunity has never presented itself like it has now. Therefore, it is up to the party to grab it because it might never arise again. Saleshando has been at the helm since taking over in 2010 and will be leading the party to a third general election as president. He said in the 12 weeks leading up to the polls, the BCP must sweat and behave like it is the second coming of Jesus Christ. Saleshando pointed out that they need to focus more as they head into the election. He advised that people should not be distracted between now and election. “We are entering the final lap, some of us will feel like their engines have overheated. Party politics is like a relay and we have agreed here at the conference that those who will slow down in the final lap should tell us now so that we can put faster legs as a substitution. “Every ward knows what to do, we have assigned people to campaign on a daily basis until the results of the election comes,” he said.

The Maun West legislator added that they come from the conference with total focus. “I have no doubt that we will reap the results of what we sow here. This conference marks BCP as an opposition party to a government-in-waiting, it shows that we are prepared. We need to put a government in place in October, there is a vacancy,” he added. Saleshando said the fact that they contested under the Umbrella for Democratic Change in 2019 and managed to win 11 constituencies out of the 20 they were allocated shows how determined they were to win office. Now that the BCP has quit the opposition coalition, he said they are looking at 61 constituencies’ and they only need 31 to attain government. Saleshando said he was advised by the national campaign manager to slow down on campaigns to avoid mental exhaustion. “I have decided not to take her advice,” he said. “Yes the BCP is the best when it comes to preparation but let's us work on building the best party in SADC and we can do it right here,” he said.

The former Gaborone Central legislator said he is way ahead of his competitors, therefore as he heads into the election he will focus on competitors far beyond Botswana borders in order to learn and grow. “I have 15 years in Parliament and compared to my competitors and I am the most experienced when it comes law making. I am ready to become the President of Botswana,” he said. The BCP, which was formed in 1998, is so far the only party that has confirmed all of its 61 candidates while other political parting are yet to hold primaries. Before confirming candidates for all the constituencies the BCP only had 54, but during the conference they added more candidates after recruiting from their former party Botswana National Front (BNF). Singing ‘ke tshephile wena’ (I trust only you) BCP members assured Saleshando once again as the right man to take them into the upcoming election.

Editor's Comment
UDC's 100 Days: Please deliver your promises!

We duly congratulate them to have ousted the long ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) from power. Prior to taking power from the BDP, the coalition had made several election promises that are credited for influencing change and swaying the people to vote in its favour.The party had made an undertaking, which its leader and President Duma Boko consistently bellowed in his campaign trail. These undertakings were promises that Batswana would be...

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