Mephato, Baaitse: Is it BPF or UDC?
NEC member distances himself from party primaries BPF includes him in its list of candidates for primaries
Botswana Patriotic Front ( BPF) is in a clash with one of its National Executive Committee ( NEC) member Shadrack Baaitse over his Parliamentary candidacy as the party readies for its primary election. e Secretary of International A airs who is also a Parliamentary candidate Shadrack Baaitse has written two letters to the party with one challenging the authority of party president Mephato Reatile for pulling the BPF out of the coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change ( UDC) and maintaining that a certain Segaetsho Garekwe is not a member of the BPF.
In another letter he condemns the BPF for including him ( Baaitse) in the list of those who will contest for the party’s primary elections. Baaitse’s contention is that he will be contesting Tswapong South under the UDC and not BPF and wonders why he appears in the list. Sources within the BPF have revealed that Baaitse has been deliberately included in the list to contest against Garekwe as a strategy by the BPF to counter Baaitse if he continues to campaign under the UDC banner. Both Baaitse and Garekwe are close to the party patron and former president, Ian Khama. is week BPF Secretary General shared the list of candidates that have been vetted in by the National Executive Committee to contest primary elections or stand unopposed for the 2024 General Election.
He said primary elections will take place in two categories with the rst held on the 18th of May 2024 and the second on the 25th of May 2024. He said the BPF NEC at its 23rd April 2024 meeting, decided that all candidates who have been vetted in to contest primary elections shall pay a conrmation fee as acceptance of their candidature.
“Previously, applicants had only paid expression of interest fees ( P500.00 for Council aspirants and P1000.00 for Parliament aspirants) to avoid taxing
those who may have been vetted out.
“To this end, all candidates for Parliament seats shall be required to pay an amount of P2000.00 while all candidates for the positions of Councillor shall pay P1000.00 as con rmation of candidature fees upon being vetted in. “e fees are to be paid strictly into the party bank account as you did when you applied,” Ookeditse wrote in a memo to party structures. Baaitse stated in the letter to the secretary general that he has noted with great concern and serious disappointment the allegations and attempts by the BPF NEC so- called MEMO subjecting him to a “bogus primary election” un
der the BPF symbol. He said somehow, under very dubious circumstances, the BPF President acting jointly with a few NEC members, orchestrated a plan to remove the BPF from the UDC contrary to the BPF two congress resolutions.
“I have attached herewith my letters to yourselves, served by WhatsApp to the Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General WhatsApp numbers on Sunday the 4th May 2024, a letter that was shared with the party President Mephato Reatile on or before our NEC Meeting in Majestic Five Hotel on Monday the 6th May 2024.”
He said during the meeting of May 6th 2024 held at Majestic 5 hotel in Palapye he continually repeated that he will not be subjected to an election process that contradicts the BPF congress resolutions and proclamations that the BPF will only stand for the 2024 general elections through the UDC symbol since the BPF is now a fully accepted member of the UDC a er two ( 2) congress resolutions.
“While the BPF NEC is fully aware of my position, a position I have maintained on over three ( 3) consecutive NEC meetings which I walked out of every time the issue is debated as it does not represent the majority of the BPF members but rather a few, whose interests I am not at liberty to disclose here, it is shocking that all of a sudden, the BPF NEC is now suddenly publishing somewhat publication suggesting I Shadrack Baaitse have been quali ed to their primary elections”, he said in a letter dated 7th may 2024.
According to Baaitse, such attention seeking by the BPF NEC should be disregarded as what it is, “attention seeking, misleading, desperation and self- seeking, I disassociate myself with the same.
“I Shadrack Baaitse hereby sets to record that I am a UDC Parliamentary candidate for Tswapong South Constituency, the BPF NEC is desperately claiming, dishonestly and fraudulently claiming my candidacy as they have never responded nor acknowledged my expression”.
According to the BPF memo the party will contest in 20 constituencies. Some of the constituencies were initially given to other UDC contracting partners before BPF’s withdrawal. Reatile had indicated that through the pact model there will be few constituencies where a clash with UDC could be experienced but said it is not an issue of concern. UDC leader Advocate Duma Boko on the other hand indicated that they are not getting involved in any pact model with any party. He said even though they respect the decision of the BPF NEC, BPF members individually remain members of the UDC. is has caused some of the BPF prospective candidates to remain in the UDC.