But during voting on Wednesday, out of 40 BDP MPs who were in Parliament, only 37 supported the Bill. Despite preaching unity at the weekend congress, three MPs showed that they are not with Masisi and did not vote for the Bill. As a result, the BDP MPs who supported the Bill could not reach a two-thirds majority, which is a requirement by the constitution for a constitutional review to pass. When the Speaker of the National Assembly, Phandu Skelemani, announced that the Bill has failed, a loud applause from the public gallery hit hard on the ruling party, which has always been divided. Speaking directly to his party members, during the party’s National Congress in Tlokweng, Masisi had emphasised the importance of accountability, reminding them that their election to office was a mandate from the people, which they must respect. Transitioning to his plans, Masisi said he would be travelling with only one MP, making it imperative for the others to attend Parliament. He stressed that there should be no excuses for absenteeism, particularly during this critical juncture when MP Kabo Morwaeng presents the Bill.
Further reinforcing his point, Masisi acknowledged that while some MPs might initially resist the amendment, the government is prepared to reintroduce it after securing victory in the coming elections. This, he noted, is in response to the clear demand from Batswana for a constitutional review, underscoring the importance of the proposed changes. The constitutional review has sparked mixed reactions, particularly among civil society organisations that believe the process was mishandled and lacked proper procedures. These groups feel they were not formally included in the process and that the Commission responsible omitted important issues when making its recommendations. One of their main concerns is that the Commission ignored key topics such as the call for Batswana to have the right to directly vote for the President. Additionally, some critics argue that the public was not adequately informed about the critical aspects of a constitutional review, leading to discussions on matters that might not significantly impact constitutional changes. Civil society organisations also feel that their position paper was completely disregarded by government, further fuelling their dissatisfaction with the process. A political analyst, Lesole Machacha, on Wednesday said during the interview: “Normally, political parties do vote according to what the caucus has agreed but once they do not agree, then there is a problem. Caucus undermines democratic and constitutional rights which are not good. MPs are in Parliament to represent the will of the people but they end up failing to do that.”
Furthermore, he said what is currently happening in the BDP shows that there are internal problems that are not yet clearly open. He said one can understand the internal problems when some members are open with them. Moreover, the political analyst said this is a difficult time for politicians as some are also forced to listen to their voters. He said pressure groups are also putting pressure on politicians so that they voice out about constitutional review. Meanwhile, a source within the BDP told Mmegi that the disgruntled MPs who are not happy with the way their appeals for Bulela Ditswe were handled would not support the party. “There is an internal problem within the party. Bulela Ditswe is haunting the party. There is no way one can expect unhappy members to vote with the party. This is clear and unity must be preached among members,” the source revealed. Additionally, the source pointed out that if the BDP would not bring members together then the internal fights might affect them again at the General Election next month. During the debate in Parliament, some opposition members and the public made a protest against the Bill outside Parliament.
An opposition activist, Phenyo Segokgo, who was arrested said: “We aimed to stop the process. The report by the Commission was detailed but the BDP chose a few amendments in the Constitution that favour them like giving Parliament the power to recall MPs who misbehave, stopping former presidents from active politics, and increasing Specially Elected MPs, among others. Again, what pressure groups had suggested and Batswana wanted was left out.”
