DIVISIONS WITHIN
BCP Youth unhappy on allocation of Bophirima ward to BNF
In what some believe could halt the impressive success of the opposition parties in the recent by-elections, the opposition coalition remains divided over who should field in the Bophirima ward by-election scheduled for next month.
Speaking to this publication in an interview, the president of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) Youth League, Tlhabologo Furniture finds it unacceptable for the ward to be allocated to the BNF at the expense of the BCP. The by-election comes after the death of Kagiso Mongwaketse of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) who died last year. Back in 2019, the ward was allocated to the
BCP but because the BNF candidate, Mankie Sekete was considered better placed to win the ward, the two parties reached an agreement where Manki Sekete of the BNF, became the candidate. Meanwhile, Peter Mogapi and his party, the BCP, were assured that should the opposition have the majority councilors in the Gaborone Bonnington South constituency, Mogapi would be given first priority in the nomination of specially elected councilors. However, the UDC lost and the BCP is demanding back its ward for the impending by-election, but the BNF will not let go. The reluctance of the BNF to concede comes from the fact that the party feels the deal was meant to run for the entire five-year election interval which ends in 2024 as nobody anticipated Mongwaketse’s death.
The party thinks it is only fair to be disposed off the ward in 2024. “The leaders of the contracting partners were expected to meet sometime this week to resolve the matter but we know a decision has been made to give the ward to the BNF. This is clear bias fuelled by a big brother mentality. As youth, we are disappointed. It is so frustrating that instead of all of us being guided by the spirit of give and take, it seems only the BCP must give while our partners take all the time. In any partnership, all should be in a position to give and take,” said Furniture, who said that the Youth League will look at the decision and “take it from there.” He warned that nothing is off the table regarding the options available to the BCP Youth League. “Remember what happened at Lorolwana when there was a byelection.
When the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) was not happy with the decision to give the Lorolwana ward to the BNF, the party went ahead and
contested,” recalls Furniture, who added that the way forward on the Bophirima issue will be decided by the concerned party structures.