Masisi stalls additional members’ appointments
Two months after the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) elective congress held in Tsabong, the leader of the ruling party Mokgweetsi Masisi is yet to appoint the five additional members of the party Central Committee (CC).
The BDP constitution article 30, clause 5 states that the President of the party shall appoint five other ordinary members of the CC from other party members. The BDP members have been waiting for Masisi to make an announcement but nothing has materialised so far. It has been a norm in the BDP to announce five additional members a day or week after the election.
Even though the BDP constitution does not stipulate a time frame for when the additional members are supposed to be appointed, some concerned party members believe that the five are going to miss a lot at CC meetings. The CC meetings have been held and there has been nothing barring the committee from making decisions at the meetings as well. So far, the concerned BDP members believe that the President is taking a long time to fill the five vacant positions.
The concerned members are also complaining that the mandate of some sub-committee members has long elapsed and the new CC must choose other new members to run certain committees.
“The BDP has its norms and tradition that need to be followed. Some subcommittees have not been delivering at all and it is important that the members are changed. Maybe they could perform better when they are in different portfolios. It is not a secret that some of the members of powerful sub-committees do not respect the party office especially the Executive Secretary (ES). This is a critical time for the election therefore the BDP needs members who are humble in some of these powerful positions because they are the face of the party. We cannot use the same strategy that was used in the 2019 General Election. Now, the BDP needs people who understand its culture and norms better. This is the time to go to our members who are not active and request them to work for the party,” a source said.
Meanwhile an insider said there is a high possibility that some committee members may sabotage the current CC since some members do not support those who have been voted in. The concerned members complain that it is time the President issues a statement on the matter and informs members if at all he has extended the sub-committees mandate. However, Mmegi has learnt that the President is still consulting some key members regarding the issue of additional members and subcommittees.
Questioned on the matter, the BDP secretary-general Kavis Kario said this time around, the appointments were not done on the day of the congress or a week after. However, he said this does not necessarily constitute a delay as there is no time frame set for the appointments. “A President may allow a bit of more consultation at a later date after the congress,” said Kario.
He further said the sub-committees will be appointed too. Still, on the issue, political analyst Lesole Machacha said he has observed that Masisi does take time to fill some posts politically or not.
“I don’t understand whether he will be busy to act or he wants to inform himself on other issues first. May be he is still consulting as they are saying. But I don’t think he does not have names of people he wants to be in the CC. I think it was wise for them to have started the first meetings with CC elected members so that they are not left out. Again preparation for the general election is starting, so they need to be part of that,” Machacha said in an interview.
The BDP sub-committees include communication and strategy committees and labour amongst others. In 2021, the President only beefed up the sub-committees to ensure that they function well.