Furious Mohwasa turns heat on BNF members and Media
Botswana National Front ( BNF) Secretary General Moeti Mohwasa has come out hard on members who share party issues with the media.
Lately there has been a sustained exchange of vitriol among BNF members in both social and print media where lobby lists are discussed ahead of the party’s elective congress next year.
“The election of committee members and processes leading up to the congress are an internal exercise. Regrettably, lately, we have seen members going to the press to raise internal party matters. “This is not a general election where you run to the public for votes,” he said. Mohwasa explained that party members and not the public, make up the Electoral College. He advised BNF members who wish to influence the outcome of the congress in a particular way to approach party members through the party structures and discuss what they have for the party. Instead of an exchange of vitriol, BNF members must engage in constructive criticism bearing in mind the long term effects that maligning each other will have on the party, the Secretary General warned. “Let us say the comrade you have been maligning wins. What do you then say to the public about him? Do you tell the public the comrade has now changed? “Will that work and will the public trust the two of you?” asked Mohwasa rhetorically noting that the comrades in any of the lobby lists should appreciate that, as members, they need each other now and even after the congress. He continued: “Those who can access us are our members and the people who will be voting at the elective congress.” He said at times he wonders what people gain by disparaging the other comrades in the press, noting further that the practice hurts not only the person being maligned but the party itself. He reminded the BNF rank and file that only those elected to communicate party matters with the public should be allowed to do so.
“If somebody wants to be the one to communicate party matters, he or she should avail him or herself at the congress so that the constitution bestows on him or her that responsibility,” he added. Mohwasa clarified that the party constitution distributes and allocates responsibilities to members to avoid anarchy and confusion. The BNF official is worried that should the divisive tendencies persist, those mandated to lead the party at the congress will have a difficult task trying to unite the party after the congress. Mohwasa is not happy with suggestions that the BNF may split at the congress due to its history of splits. “It is also unfair to say the BNF continues to split. The last split was in 2002. “In fact we have matured and it is now the turn of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to split. You cannot keep on accusing us of things that some have even forgotten about unless the aim is to portray us negatively,” an evidently disappointed Mohwasa lashed out.He then took a swipe on some reporters. “There is also an emerging pattern of gullible journalists who just take anything that is shared with them by some ill-disciplined members about the party without verification.
“Basing your story on rumours and gossip although giving the subject of the story the right of reply does not make the story credible. We decline the invitation to discuss petty talk and gossip particularly on matters internal to the party,” concluded the BNF official.
Mohwasa declined to answer questions on why Boko deserves another term to lead the BNF beyond next year; on what Boko has achieved as President of the BNF; as well as on accusations that Boko avoids to call central committee meetings but instead makes unilateral decisions contrary to the party constitution which demands that the party leadership meet at least four times a year. He would also not answer whether it is true or false that Boko’s team does not want him challenged for the top post and that he himself is not eager about an elective congress.