BPF enters umbrella wounded, while BCP drives away

UDC should expect a divided BPF to delay its 2024 campaign because the party has been having infighting even on the decision to join the umbrella movement. However, it appear UDC leader warms up to the BDP splinter movement to solidify their quest for state power in 2024 as BCP is currently moving away from the coalition movement. 

The BPF infighting has been publicised prompting the party patron Ian Khama to comment saying he would dissociate himself with the party, a threat some said he want the BPF Congress to vote for his preferred people. 

There has been a lot of suspensions in the BPF and the latest being of Deputy Secretary General, Vuyo Yane Notha, for alleged indiscipline.

Meanwhile, the UDC held a NEC meeting which resolved that BCP councillors and MPs should write to the UDC and indicate whether or not they will contest the 2024 elections under the UDC. BPF was part of this NEC meeting. 

However, BCP spokesperson, Dr Mpho Pheko responded to Boko that. “It is offensively undemocratic and tramples on the social democratic ethos in the vilest of manners. Above all, it is yet another devious but ill-thought attempt to divide the BCP. This attempt will fail.”

According to Pheko, no self-respecting member of the BCP will respond to “this infantile ultimatum”. She added that the UDC or Boko has no legal authority to write to the Speaker confirming what he calls “resignation by conduct” in respect of any elected public servant. 

“We reject these undemocratic tendencies with the utmost contempt and urge our members who hold elective office to do the same. It is unfortunate that the UDC is mimicking the BDP which is also considering banning primary elections. The BCP values internal democracy and will not go the UDC-BDP route of stifling democracy,” said Pheko in a statement.

Last month the BCP officially launched negotiation talks with the Alliance for Progressives (AP) for the 2024 General Election, something that started bothering the UDC. The BCP is a member of the UDC alongside the Botswana National Front (BNF), the Botswana People’s Party (BPP) and the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), which was welcomed recently.

BCP are now already advancing talks with AP which has been hostile to UDC since the BMD splinter movement accused Boko of failing to mediate in their infighting which led to fights in a Bobonong congress. AP even contested the 2019 elections alone, but is now warming up to a possible coalition with BCP. 

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