BPF not intimidated by new party
As cracks continue to widen in the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) with a new powerful faction emerging behind the scenes allegedly under the leadership of former president Ian Khama, BPF has revealed that it is not intimidated by the alleged formation of a new political party.
In the past Khama made it public that he wants to be BPF president - a move that elicited mixed feelings within the party and it is believed to have caused tensions too.
For a while now, some disgruntled members have been rumoured to be working behind the scenes to form a new political movement and it is reported that all roads will soon be heading to Selebi-Phikwe for the unveiling of a new party. It is believed that the main target for the faction is to rally behind Khama who is still influential in the Bangwato heartland.
However, the BPF which is a splinter party of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), says it is not to be threatened by the alleged ‘propaganda’ of a splinter party. BPF spokesperson, Lawrence Ookeditse said there might be a few people who for whatever reason might want to leave but he believes a lot of their members are not about to depart.
“The key thing is that we are not about to lose any of our MPs {Members of Parliament}. There is this propaganda from whoever, but our MPs are committed to the BPF and a good majority of our councillors are also committed to the party,” he said..
“We are in touch with them and we know exactly what we are doing and they know what we are doing. We are not looking to lose people and I don’t think we are going to lose people.”
Ookeditse stated that those who know what the BPF stands for will stay and if anyone has any challenge or any feeling about how things are they will actual stay and fight to change things.
“The party is in better shape than it may appear. I don’t know what will happen with the formation of a new party, but I don’t think it’s a good idea and I am pretty sure the other people may actually think is not a good idea,” he added.
For his part, the party president, Biggie Butale conceded that he saw unsigned letters on social media stating that there is a formation of a new party. However, Butale could not vouch for the authenticity of the letters hence he dismissed the existence of a new party.
“I don’t think there is any new party being formed but having said that, I have spoken to all the BPF Members of Parliament and all of them have categorically stated that they are not joining any envisaged new party. I would be shocked if any of them joined the new party or even went to their inaugural congress. The same goes for our councillors, I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Butale said.
Mmegi further quizzed BPF MPs about the new party and they conceded they have heard the reports of the looming formation of a new political. However, they confirmed that they were focused members of the BPF who are willing to change the government under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in the upcoming 2024 General Election.
Serowe North MP, Baratiwa Mathootlhe said he will believe there is a new party after it has been registered but as it stands he cannot say he is joining any new party.
“I am a BPF MP and not planning to join any new party, I am a focused BPF member and we believe with the leadership of UDC we are ready to change the government and we are near. Even if the rumours could be true and a new political party could be formed, as MPs we will hear from our electorate what they want,” he said.
Mathootlhe said he has been holding kgotla meetings in his constituency and in all of the ongoing meetings the electorate has been asking about the said party with some advising him not to fall into a trap.
“On the sidelines of the recent kgotla meeting, an electorate pulled me by the side and warned me not to fall for any trap. He stated that it is common for new political parties to be formed ahead of general elections by some disgruntled members in an effort to split the votes,” Mathootlhe said.
For his part, Serowe South MP, Leepetswe Lesedi said he has heard about the muted new party but said his focus was BPF.
“Such rumours are circulating but remember we have passed a law in Parliament which states that if any MP defects from one party to another his seat is declared vacant and Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will call a by-election which I do not think any MP is ready for,” Lesedi said. Lesedi also stated that electorates have been asking him about the alleged formation of a new political party but they are still treating it as rumours.
Jwaneng/Mabutsane MP, Mephato Reatile echoed other MPs that he is an unshakeable member of the BPF and they are focused to change the government under the UDC in the 2024 General Election. He however stated that if some members of BPF want to form a new party as BPF members they cannot stop them, interfere with their interests or get involved because it is up to them.
Like other legislators, Reatile conceded to being overwhelmed with questions from electorates asking about the new party but stated to have been assuring them of his position in BPF even in the coming elections. Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that last week the alleged faction convened in Palapye for a constitution-making meeting.