BDP sponsors jittery

Worried by string of defeats before 2024

Bophirima ward defeat presses panic buttons

BDP must be strategic for 2024, voters are fed up -Analyst

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

Some of high profile businessmen who are top financiers of the ruling

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) financiers are concerned by the party’s poor performance in the recent 13 council, where it suffered defeat at the hands of opposition, The Patriot on Sunday has learnt.

 hence demand answers from BDP leadership.

Information turned up shows that the BDP key financiers have started demanding answers from Tsholetsa House and that theparty reflects on the disappointing outcomes. Sources close to developments intimate that sponsors are worried over the loss going to 2024. As a result, some of the financiers have urged President Mokgweetsi Masisi to convene the BDP central committee meeting over the Easter Holidays to reflect and map strategic ways on how to revive the party.

However, it said the meeting of sponsors with Masisi is not likely to materialize during Easters. This is due to the fact that Masisi is hosting his Mozambican counterpart President Felipe Nyusi, who is on a state visit in Botswana until the weekend. “The back to back defeats that the BDP suffered on the by-elections four council have worried some of the party top financiers. What concern them most from the Bophirima Ward defeat is that the electorates are not happy and the party is losing its popularity as it lost the ward even after president Masisi himself traversed Bophirima to canvass for the votes but to no avail,” said a source.

It is said the BDP well-wishers pleaded with the party leadership to implement the 2019 general elections manifesto priorities as the poor performance of the party is linked to unfulfilled promises.

Recently, the Secretary General of BDP Mpho Balopi demanded answers over why the ruling BDP’s electoral promises were not included in the national development plans of the country. Balopi, a former cabinet minister had asked the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Kabo Morwaeng to state measures if any are in place or in the pipeline to ensure that pledges against which the ruling was elected into are incorporate into development plans.

Morwaeng at the time said the BDP manifesto is being implemented aligned to the government initiatives, reiterating that the RESET Agenda is also way of ensuring that ruling party achieve its pledges.

One local wealthy businessman who had preferred condition of anonymity and member of the party said the party should no longer rely of financial muscle but to meet needs of the electorates. “The ruling parties across the continent are well known of having competitive advantage of the finances but it is not the case anymore. It is important to ensure that the electorates are happy by delivering on our electoral promises. BDP has financial connections but the by-elections have now proven that money cannot win power but the strategic execution of pledges,” said investor.

Contacted for a comment on Thursday over the impending meeting between the sponsors and BDP leadership to reflect on the party’s abysmal by- elections performance, BDP Chairman of Communications and International Relations Committee Kagelelo Kentse denied the meeting. Kentse’s brief response to inquiries raised by this reporter was just ‘No Sir’.

BDP managed to win only three (3) wards from the 13 council wards that were up for the grabs. The collective opposition parties made of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Alliance for Progressives (AP) got victory of 10 wards sending BDP a warning.

Tough 2024

Political analyst Kitso Morekisi said the defeats that BDP suffered council by-elections is a warning. He has indicated that the 2024 general elections will be a heavy mountain for the party to climbs. “The Bophirima ward was supposed to be a must win for the BDP but since they lost it tells a lot that something isn’t right. There must be serious introspection by the party’s leadership. Credit must go to the opposition because they have done their assignment to unseat the BDP,” he said.

In addition, he said BDP seems to be losing trust of the electorates which is difficult to regain. “If you look to the BDP 2019 elections campaigns, their manifesto wasn’t sound as compared to that of the UDC in terms of advancing the socio-economic welfare of the electorates. The party premised its campaign more on discrediting former president Ian Khama and UDC leader Duma Boko accusing the duo of selling the country. But now real issues are needed to be dealt with,” said Morekisi.