Doubt casts over AP, BPF ‘unity talks’
Opposition unity talks amongst the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Alliance for Progressives (AP) and Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) are reportedly officially underway.
However, questions abound as to whether the two parties really want to be under the Umbrella and what exactly would they offer the opposition coalition going into the next general polls.
After failing to unseat the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in the 2019 general elections, the opposition bloc is back at the negotiation table. This time, the UDC, which is made up of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Botswana National Front (BNF), and Botswana People’s Party (BPP), is trying to lure BPF and AP into the coalition.
There is no denying that the only way for the opposition to wrestle power from the ruling party is through a united opposition. However, as the UDC holds talks with BPF and AP with a view of cooperating with them in the 2024 General Election, there is a need for the two parties to be willing to work with other UDC affiliates.
What value would the two parties bring to the UDC? Do they have the requisite numbers to propel the UDC to victory in the 2024 polls? These are some of the questions lingering on many people’s minds. Both the AP and the BPF are the youngest political formations in the country, splinter parties of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and BDP respectively, prior to the 2019 General Election.
They both contested the elections as standalone formations and garnered only four parliamentary seats between them. The BPF would benefit another Member of Parliament (MP), who defected from the
BDP. Under the circumstances, the two parties had done exceptionally well and to some extent surpassed expectations. However, the two have had contrasting states of affairs since the last elections.
While the AP has seemingly gone quiet, with their one MP Wynter Mmolotsi oftentimes appearing like an isolated spark, the BPF on the other hand, has been the most active of the two. The BPF had embarked on a massive recruitment drive, but that has somehow been shadowed by internal turmoil, caused by sexual assault allegations levelled against party president, Biggie Butale.
The internal strife remains unresolved. While there are dissenting voices on whether the two parties are really ready to work with other opposition parties, there are suggestions that indeed the parties want to work with other opposition parties.
Although it is not clear if they want to join the UDC, past events indicate there is consideration from the leaders to work together. The successful signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the by-elections bears testimony to their willingness.
AP secretary-general, Phenyo Butale has reiterated his party’s commitment to working with other opposition parties. He said his party believes that unity on its own, is good enough to deliver a new Botswana and a better country for Batswana in the
next elections. “AP has pronounced time without a number on its commitment to working with other opposition parties.
As you know, we have been part of the successful completion and signing of MOU on by-elections. And we have been very willing and active participants in the opposition coalition committee led by Dr Margaret Nasha,” explained Butale. “We have been willing and active participants in the joint by-election committee that I lead as chairperson and we believe that we have no other choice as opposition but to unite and free the nation from the current hopeless situation that we find ourselves in.”
He added the AP has everything that the opposition coalition needs, such as the personnel, the skills and the ideas.
“We are availing all those to a united opposition coalition. We are bringing everything to work together with others.” Butale denied insinuations that his party has become deflated since the 2019 elections.
He also wondered what those already writing the party’s obituary are basing their ‘premature findings on’ because the AP has been active ever since elections. He said the AP has made pronouncements on national issues while Ndaba Gaolathe, the party president, has provided clarity in terms of the economic direction that needs to be taken.
According to him, the AP is very much part and parcel of the solution or solutions that are needed by the country. The former Gaborone Central legislator said his party had the clearest pathway and plan to a better country and how to grow the economy and nurture it out of the inertia.
He explained that all this remains available to be shared with other opposition parties, be harnessed and put together with their ideas to build a Botswana that every Motswana will feel part of and take part in, in all aspects of the economy. Like his counterpart at AP, BPF spokesperson, Lawrence Ookeditse also said his party is committed to the idea of working with other opposition parties.
According to Ookeditse, it is just a case of agreeing on how they are going to work together. “We mean it, we are serious about this because we believe that together we can actually lead to the birth of a better country for our people,” Ookeditse said.
He added: “It’s absolute nonsense” that there are those who are questioning the strength of the BPF, adding that the BPF is currently the most energetic party in the country. “At the moment in this country, we are possibly the most energetic party and there is no way that anyone can ever say we are getting deflated or anything like that.
We are working with people and our recruitment drive is quite huge. The party is on the run and working, and we are confident that come 2024, together with those that we may be working with, we will be in a position to finally free Batswana from BDP rule,” he added.
While the 2024 General Election may appear too far for election talk, it is just around the corner. Despite the talks, only time will tell if the two parties are ready to join forces with others in the opposition bloc to unseat the BDP.