New BCP constitution amendments divide members
The new proposals made by the task team in the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) constitutional review are already drawing thumbs-down from some members of the opposition party. Some BCP members who are alleged to have laid hands on the draft party constitution amendments are reported not to be pleased with the new recommendations.
The task team, which is led by Lebohang Letsie and assigned to generate recommendations on party constitution, have submitted their proposal to party executive committee.
One of the amendments that some members are not happy with is the one that gives the party president the power to waive some provisions of the constitution where she/he deems that the image and reputation of the party are at risk.
This, however, has not gone well with some BCP members who believe that the president will be having too much power.
“This provision does not look good to us. That means the president of the organisation could waive some of the clauses of the constitution without consulting executive or central committee members.
It needs to be discussed by the congress to understand it,” a source said in an interview on Wednesday.
“We have been criticising Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) about the powers they give to the president and now we want to do the same.”
The other proposed amendment that some section of the BCP is not happy about is the one that they want women to be given 50% of party positions in all party structures which some believe that 30% is sufficient in the central committee.
“Women must compete with men for some positions. It will be wrong to be giving out positions just like that.
Why is it have to be in all party structures? So in an event where the party has no women who can reach that number, what will happen? I do not think we are realistic on what we really want.
Unless we want to kill the spirit of democracy which allows free and fair competition or elections,” another source bemoaned.
Another amendment proposal reads; “there shall be chairperson of the veteran league elected by the veteran league at its elective congress, who shall report to the central committee on the mobilisation of elders in the party, with a view of achieving the objectives of the party”.
More particularly, the proposal wants “to encourage and promote the participation of older persons who have retired, availing their experiences and wisdom to fulfilling the objectives of the party. The chairperson of the veterans’ league will promote the name and objectives of the BCP amongst all senior members of the party and amongst non-members in general”.
The new amendment also proposed that the secretary general of the party should be employed by the party, for one to do his/her work effectively, something that some people are not pleased with saying that the party is already struggling to pay some of its workers.
Some of the positions that the draft wants to be included are operational secretary for internal affairs and secretary for labour.
On other issues, that some members are complaining about is the strategy group which is aimed at advising the party president, Dumelang Saleshando, who the concerned members believe that it is misleading him in some matters.
The concerned members argue there is also division within the party’s central committee because some members make some caucus on other matters and during meeting, they support each other even if the decision is bad.
BCP spokesperson, Dithapelo Keorapetse said there is a team that has been tasked with generating a draft constitution, adding the group has done a good job.
“It is however not up to this team to decide on what goes in or out of the constitution. BCP structures are currently debating the envisaged amendments so as to refine the document,” he said.
“Once the process is completed and has been looked at by the Executive Committee and the Central Committee, BCP members at a duly constituted constitutional conference, make a final decision on the type of constitution they want.”
Keorapetse said he is not in a position to divulge what is in the draft because it is an internal document and also that so many things may be changed by delegates at the conference.
In additional, Keorapetse said he is not aware that there is any group calling itself whatever name and it is mission.
“I am only aware of constitutionally set structures. Those that are not established by the constitution, are ad hoc groups for various purposes, for example the parliament support team, teams for different assignments such as the constitution,” he said.