UDC not worried by BPF infighting—Mohwasa
FRANCISTOWN: The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has said it is not worried about the recent developments at the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF).
The BPF is undergoing intense turmoil as key figures of the party are battling for the control of the movement. ‘Suspended’ BPF president Biggie Butale claimed to have toppled ‘acting’ president Caroline Lesang and reinstated himself. Prior to that, Butale had been serving an indefinite suspension since last year.
Other suspended BPF national executive committee (NEC) members linked to Butale were also reinstated. Butale and members of his faction then moved to suspend three other BPF NEC members among them party spokesperson Lawrence Ookeditse. Lesang has since taken Butale and the BPF to court. She has the backing of other BPF members who do not support Butale.
The BPF recently joined the UDC. The infighting in the BPF comes at a time when UDC partners have just initiated the process of refining the coalition’s constitution and policies. There are fears that tension in the BPF might escalate and
ultimately blight cooperation talks for the 2024 General Election among the UDC partners.
However, this week the UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa said the coalition leadership is not deeply concerned by the current turmoil in the BPF.
“All political parties go through challenges in one form or shape. What is happening to the BPF is internal. We do not have any reason to doubt its commitment to work with us, regardless of who gets elected into the party leadership,” Mohwasa told Mmegi yesterday.
He added that so far, the UDC is yet to feel the impact of the infighting at the BPF. Mohwasa went on to explain that activities such as the submission of the draft constitution and policies by streams appointed by the UDC will go on as planned. All parties in the UDC are represented in the streams.
“The UDC NEC that was supposed to be held on 5th October will now be held on the 21st of October in Francistown. The streams had their drafts ready. Internal consultation and input within the affiliate parties on the drafts will take place before the NEC meeting,” Mohwasa said.
Meanwhile, Mohwasa said the UDC has not given up on working with the Alliance for Progressives (AP) at the 2024 General Elections. He maintained that the focus of the UDC is to unite all opposition parties.
“We will not deviate from this trajectory (uniting all opposition parties). Out of courtesy we expect the AP to formally communicate. The last time we heard from them was when they were responding to our request for a meeting to discuss two things. Firstly, their breach of the by-elections Memorandum of Understanding in Bophirima and Moselewapula by-elections. Secondly, cooperation with them in the 2024 General Elections.
“In their response they indicated that they will revert. Unfortunately, up to now there has not been any communication from them. We will therefore, be guided by their response,” he said.
The UDC has been open about its desire to work with AP at the next general election. But the AP appears less keen to work with the UDC. This week the AP and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) officially announced plans to work together at the 2024 General Election. Cooperation talks between the BCP and the AP are expected to take 10 weeks. The BCP is part of the UDC but has fallen out with its partners in the coalition.