BDP NYEC supports Tsogwane

Sparks are expected to fly at the upcoming Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)’s elective congress as the party’s National Youth Executive Committee (NYEC) took a decision to support a lobby team led by Vice President Slumber Tsogwane.

The VP will be battling it out with Nonofo Molefhi for the party’s chairperson position, a position that normally attracts controversy.

NYEC chairperson Collen Mochotlhi said the decision was taken by the whole committee.

“The decision to support the whole lobby team for Tsogwane was agreed by all committee members and no one objected to the decision,” he said.

However, Mochotlhi said they are aware that party elders did not support some of the members during the youth congress but have decided to put the party’s interest first by supporting those whom they believe would deliver.

Mochotlhi joined the chairperson race a day after the person who was leading their race, Otsile Machola was disqualified from contesting due to the age limit.

“We believe in the ability of the Vice President, he believes in party unity, to revive structures, the state of the party and to bring members together. It is important for the youth committee to be able to work hand in hand with the party leadership.

We believe that the Vice President and his team will be able to listen to us and our concerns,” he said.

According to Mochotlhi, they believe Tsogwane’s lobby list aims to build the party adding that it is time for the

BDP members to get united and focus on coming up with strategies that could assist the party win the 2024

General Elections.

The newly elected chairperson also said one o f their roles as the youth is to ensure that they work hard to revive structures and bring members together.

He said the misunderstanding was only temporary for campaigns for the youth positions since they are now working together as the youth committee members from all teams.

However, Mmegi has learnt that there are some who are not in support of the whole lobby team and who believe strongly that Tsogwane and his team did not give them the support they needed at Bobonong.

“Of course, there are those who believe strongly that they cannot support people who de-campaigned them. Again some of us support Molefhi and we did not want to object to what the majority was saying.

It is true, the majority agreed that we should give support to a lobby team led by Tsogwane. But not all of us agree to that decision,” a source said.

Meanwhile, President Mokgweeetsi Masisi recently preached the importance of unity within the party during BDP’s 58th National Council, which was held under the theme ‘Unity and Consolidation.’

“We must be disciplined in our talk, what we write and exchange, and the impression created. It goes without saying that sustaining the stability and survival of the BDP depends on its capacity as a political organisation to work as a unified entity.

By no means does this preclude ud d diversity of thought as the BDP is not a monolithic party. Rather, this our great organisation, should nurture critical engagements but not at the expense of unity,” Masisi said.