Mmegi

Mogae’s bold party reforms

Khama and Mogae sharing a lighter moment
Khama and Mogae sharing a lighter moment

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) will always associate former president Festus Mogae with a groundbreaking initiative that reshaped the party’s internal democratic processes: the introduction of party primary elections, widely known as Bulela Ditswe. While this was a democratic innovation that allowed party members to choose their preferred candidates, it was not without controversy.

The initiative brought both positive and negative outcomes. It empowered grassroots members to have a voice, but it also amplified divisions within the party, creating tensions that previously simmered under the surface.

Mogae’s decision to liberalise party primary elections was bold, particularly because many party members and even his own Central Committee were initially uneasy with the idea.

Editor's Comment
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