BNF, BCP in unstable marriage - analyst
The University of Botswana (UB) political analyst and commentator, Adam Mfundisi is of the view that the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) are in “an unstable political marriage.”
The BCP was formed in 1998 by disgruntled BNF cadres after a tumultuous showdown at the BNF congress in Palapye the same year. The two are affiliates of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
An attempt at working together towards the 2014 general elections faltered when the BCP withdrew over disagreements on the allocation of constituencies.
This led to a walkover by the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) at the polls, says Mfundisi who observes that there are still some surviving elements in both parties who are still reeling from that confrontation and conflict that led to the emergence of BCP.
The BCP shunned the UDC towards the 2014 general elections and the outcome of the poll was devastating to both the BCP and the rest of the opposition in general.
Mfundisi notes that after undertaking deep introspection, the BCP then decided to join the UDC before the 2019 polls. The poll results, he notes, were devastating to the opposition formation which included the Botswana Peoples’ Party (BPP).
The poor electoral performance ignited suspicions that BCP members either abstained from voting in the wards and constituencies allocated to either the BNF or the BPP or strategically voted the BDP. According to this conspiracy theory, the BCP sought supremacy over its partners by raising more wards and constituencies than them thereby achieving the position as the leading party in the opposition.
In the event, the BCP won 11 constituencies, while the BNF and the BPP got four and zero respectively. As things stand, the BNF is riled by the fact that although it is bigger than the BNF, the BNF president and not the BCP, is the president of the UDC.
This has riled the BCP rank and file exacerbating tensions within the opposition ranks.
“The UDC had entrusted the BNF with the stewardship of most Southern Botswana constituencies in which it had an impeccable history of domination.
“When the results were announced the UDC, and its leadership were shocked by the annihilation of the BNF in its core constituencies including the capital city Gaborone.
“The ruling BDP for the first time since the 1980s swept all constituencies including the one held by the UDC and BNF leader, Duma Boko,” he said, recalling that the 2019 general election was characterised by allegations of electoral fraud and rigging.
Mfundisi posits that the standoff at the Bophirima ward in Gaborone between the two partners speaks to the fact that the BNF and the BCP have not accommodated each other since the Palapye political turmoil.
“There is still bad blood between the two powerful political formations. People had thought that the youthful leadership from both parties would steer the UDC off the past battles and enmities but this dream has not been realised as both parties are at each other’s throats,” opined the political science lecturer.
He added that coalition politics create a dilemma for political formations as each party still pursues its own policy goals and issue priorities.
He continues, “In this context, there is need for coordination, cooperation, collaboration, compromise, and effective communication to create bridges between the coalition partners. Coalition partners must not single-handedly make political decisions without adequate consultation.”
The analyst notes that the political bickering between BNF and BCP is not healthy for the country’s nascent coalition politics, adding that the bitter rivalries between them will make it difficult for the two to work together in the future.
“To make matters worse, the Alliance for Progressives (AP) and Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), which are UDC partners and are expected to join the UDC have taken sides,” observed Mfundisi, who believes that, collective leadership based on ethical and accountability requirements is essential to deal with intra-coalition conflicts.
Mfundisi observes that, “Political trust and confidence between the BCP and BNF are critical for a strong and resilient opposition bloc. Low and declining level of political trust reflected in opposition leaders will negatively affect the democratic landscape of Botswana.
“The leaders must develop conflict resolution mechanisms premised on compromise, cooperation, collaboration, bargaining, reasons, and calmness.
“Humility and courage are great virtues for strategic leadership which UDC needs more than ever today amidst this unfortunate debacle. Personalised autocratic leadership is bad for the UDC,” he lashes out.
His position is that, “This cacophony of personal cult will do damage to the UDC unless effective interventions by elders in both BCP and BNF come to the fore and proffer effective advice to the warring parties.
“The fight over a council ward is the tip of the iceberg; there are underlying problems that leaders do not communicate to the people and the media,” he added noting regrettably that he is greatly worried about political tirade being propagated by the two sides as, according to him, this could make it difficult for reconciliation after the by-election.
Calling for a ceasefire, Mfundisi notes that poorly managed conflict resolution mechanisms lead to political apathy thereby eroding public trust and confidence in opposition politics. Nor is he happy with the level of discipline within the opposition ranks.
“Lack of personal discipline by political leadership has percolated down to the rank-and-file membership,” laments Mfundisi who does not buy the idea that both Boko and Dumelang Saleshando are irrelevant.
“There is a growing idea that they must give way to new leaders who are not tainted by the bad blood between the two parties. I do not buy the idea. The two fellows are still relevant to the political space in Botswana.
“Both are great leaders in their own rights. They have complimentary competencies which they have not unleashed yet,” he concluded.