BNF calls for veteran association congress
The newly elected Botswana National Front (BNF) central committee has been advised to ensure that its auxiliary body calls on the Veteran Association to hold its congress since the mandate of the current committee has long expired. When giving the state of the party address recently at the party congress that was held at Ba Isago University in Gaborone, former BNF secretary-general, Moeti Mohwasa said the association has been attacking the party and tarnishing its image publicly in different news publications.
“Following the election of the last committee, led by Patrick Kgoadi, there has never been peace between the veterans’ league and the central committee with the president Duma Boko receiving almost all of the attacks. In terms of the constitution, the association is an advisory body. The expectation is that it will comply with the constitution by not criticising leaders publicly. Clause 5.1.4 of the constitution states that “to criticise any decision or official of the BNF regardless of position or rank, such criticism shall be made to members of the BNF or at a properly convened meeting of the members of the BNF,” Mohwasa had said.
He added that those who differ with the party’s leadership or any party structure should submit their views and criticisms to the relevant structure and should not talk about it casually or with levity elsewhere.
The former secretary-general said the association has failed to hold a congress like other auxiliary bodies have and continuously publicly attacks the party. The central committee resolved that the chairperson, the secretary-general, and the political educationist should help the association convene its congress and defuse the tension between the former and the party.
He continued: “We would like to report that this has not been done and hopefully the new central committee will help convene a Veterans Association congress as the current committee’s term of office has long expired.”
However, the congress resolved to adopt the secretary-general’s report that the association must hold a congress to elect new committee members and action should be taken against the party constitution.
The BNF recently resolved that members who air the party’s dirty laundry will face the full wrath of the party.
“The congress resolved to instruct lower structures such as wards, constituencies, and regions to take disciplinary action against members who discuss internal party matters in social media and/or media in general. The delegates were concerned that there are a lot of party issues that are taken to social media platforms and media houses.
Some of the issues tarnish the name of the organisation hence the structures being instructed to take action because we have a code of discipline and procedure. The structures have power to instill such discipline within the organisation,” the BNF information and publicity secretary, Justin Hunyepa said.