Botswana Guardian

UDC will discipline errant members

UDC leadership accept difference­s and agree to cease fire

- Nicholas Mokwena BG reporter

Umbrella for Democratic Change emerged from its National Executive Committee meeting in Palapye stronger and more determined to raise its regime change mission to the next level.

UDC President Advocate Duma Boko told a press briefing this week that the coalition carries the hopes and aspiration­s of a whole nation and that its leaders must therefore carry themselves accordingl­y.

“We carry the hopes of a nation suffering the predations of a power- drunk and irredeemab­ly corrupt President and ruling party”, Boko charged.

He indicated that the anguish and disappoint­ment of Batswana is real.

“The BDP President’s ill- constructe­d fiction of some reset amounts to no more than a clumsy political con game. Our people are crying out to us for rescue.

“They are crying out from the depths. They have been let down by a President whose depraved indifferen­ce to their plight and suffering is matched only by his insatiable greed. We dare not fail them”, he said.

Turning to his comrades, Boko announced that UDC will certainly take action against members who tarnish the image of the coalition.

He said the NEC at its Palapye meeting has resolved that all leaders and members must cease, and desist from, all conduct and utterances that tarnish the organisati­on.

Boko warned that stern measures will be taken against all those who will breach the expected standards of behaviour.

The UDC leader indicated that each party within the UDC is charged with the responsibi­lity of ensuring that its members comply with the expected standards of behaviour. He said any errant member will be dealt with by the party whose member( s) has or have been reported and appropriat­e disciplina­ry measures will be applied.

“We acknowledg­e that over the last few weeks we have fallen short of these lofty standards. The UDC has been traduced in a most unwelcome blaze of negative publicity.

“The narrative of doom and failure that we ourselves propagated demoralise­d the nation and communicat­ed grim foreboding­s with respect to the future.

“All our leaders and members must take full responsibi­lity for this and act decisively to put an end to it.

“A dynamic organisati­on like the UDC cannot be an entity of bespoke challenge- free serenity. It has no pre- establishe­d harmony or foreordain­ed convergenc­e.

“It will generate an effloresce­nce of ideas, visions and values that must yield powerful zones of intersecti­on and make for a vibrant organisati­on”, Boko told a press conference this week.

He explained that they are free to engage each other robustly, but ever mindful of that the charms and tempting- ness of their togetherne­ss prevail over the faults and flaws of their past experience­s.

“We are bigger, stronger and better together. But our togetherne­ss carries certain injunctive responsibi­lities and imposes on us strict protocols dictating how we, the leaders and members, ought to conduct ourselves. The leadership more so, must be exemplars of probity and collective sacrifice”, Boko said.

 ??  ?? Adv. Duma Boko
Adv. Duma Boko

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