More BNF members to resign in Kgatleng East

● Former Parley hopeful, Matlou quits Says he suffered abuse, sabotage

The Botswana National Front (BNF) is likely to experience a wave of resignations from within its ranks at the Kgatleng East constituency following the Umbrella for Democratic Change’s (UDC) decision to allocate the constituency to the Botswana People’s Party (BPP).

BPP is one of the UDC affiliates, along with the Alliance for Progressives (AP) and the BNF. BNF members in Kgatleng East haven’t been happy with the UDC’s decision as Kgatleng East has been their stronghold and previously, they had produced Members of Parliament and councillors from that area.

The BPP has not been able to contest in the southern part of the country including even the said constituency.

However, The Monitor has learnt that this decision has reportedly caused deep dissatisfaction amongst key members of the BNF in the area, who feel that their party has been slighted.

Prominent member of the BNF in the area, Obakeng Matlou who was the constituency chairperson, has resigned. The Monitor also learnt that more plan to resign due to this decision.

In a letter from Matlou dated April 28, 2024, he highlights that there is myriad of reasons for so doing, many of which “you and the entire party leadership are well aware” of. “I, however, won’t disclose them all, but those mostly bothersome will certainly be hinted at. You know as well as I do that I have done all that is humanly possible, administratively, politically and comradely, to state our displeasures, of myself and indeed those of the constituency I led by, amongst others, writing to and engaging you and co-lead- ers either privately or officially to no avail,” he said. Furthermore, he stated that it had sufficed that many years of his indispensable activism have been a mixed bag of joy and considerable pain.

Matlou said he is going to take time to heal after being sabotaged for contesting for the area. The former constituency chairperson said he suffered a lot of abuse and sabotage from the party members. He strongly believes that some within the party did not want him to contest on behalf of UDC and that is why they sacrificed his constituency

BNF members in Kgatleng East haven’t been happy with the UDC’s decision as Kgatleng East has been their stronghold and previously, they had produced Members of Parliament and councillors from that area

which they knew he would win it. “It does not make sense for BNF to give away a key constituency which it wins most of the time. It was part of the plan to take me out. I hope they will find someone to insult and fail to appreciate. Tla ke ba sutele ba dire se ba se batlang,” he said. According to a source within BNF, at the constituency meeting on Saturday, before Matlou announced his intention to resign, some members were clear that they would not support the BPP candidate.

This, however, has divided some UDC members in the area and some who used to be active are no longer interested in campaigning. UDC will be represented by BPP vice president, Nono Kgafela-Mokoka.