Party wants to resolve protests quickly
BNF wants to regain dominance in South
Motsamai calls for inner party democracy
BAKANG TIRO
editors@thepatriot.co.bw
The National Organizing Secretary of Botswana National Front (BNF) Tona Mooketsi says the party is expecting to host primary elections early next year in preparation for the 2024 general elections.
Speaking at a recruitment drive launch in Tlokweng, Mooketsi, who is the acting Deputy Secretary General (DSG) of BNF revealed plans to conduct primary elections. He said the BNF anticipates to conduct the primaries in good time to allow for the party to resolve impending protests or disputes that normally arise from the Bulela Ditswe.
“The coming primary elections are crucial for the party and it is very important that we prepare to resolve the issues that has been always coming from the primaries. The members who want to represent the party for 2024 elections under Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) banner must stand up and raise their hands so that the party knows who are contesting for primaries,” he said.
In addition, Mooketsi said it is important for BNF to feed UDC with quality candidates for 2024. This, he said, it is because the preparation for 2024 general elections is an important project for the coalition as well as the BNF which its target is to retain its dominance in the South of Dibete. “Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) defeated us in a white in 2019 general elections. Our aim is now to come out strong ahead of 2024 elections and our target is to win all the constituencies in South that are BNF strongholds traditionally. We are destined for victory against BDP,” he said.
He indicated that BNF to topple the ruling BDP party from its stronghold it need to have members.
Mooketsi further said that membership recruitment drive is to ensure that the party has proper membership database when the party goes to the primary elections so to avoid unnecessary fights. “The central committee has taken the decision that party membership will no longer be applied at the party headquarters. The BNF constitution stipulates that membership is applied through the wards committees and it is taken to headquarters by the constituency secretary,” he added.
For his part, former BNF Youth League president and MP for Ghanzi South Motsamai Motsamai said that that it is very important for BNF to introspect by upholding the principles that formed it.
Such principles, he said include strong inner party democracy which formed the basis of debate in BNF.
He also noted that it is very important for the party leadership and members to show high level of discipline at all the times stressing that BNF leaders such as Dr Kenneth Koma believed in discipline. “It is very important for us as the party to do emphasize the principle of discipline in our party. Action should be taken against the members who are ill disciplined without any fear or favor. If we lack discipline as members, the party’s house will burns and BNF will lose dignity as some of the members made it a norm to insult or attack each other on social media forums,” said Motsamai.
He said that the members should do criticize each other in a democratic or constructive manner urging the central committee members to desist from discussing the party internal affairs in social media.
BNF Tlokweng
Meanwhile, Tlokweng Constituency Chairman Edward Lekoko said that BNF is recovering the whitewash defeat that the coalition UDC suffered in the hands of the BDP during 2019 elections.
He said that the BNF is strategizing to regain the constituency back to the opposition in next elections.
“We are ready for the challenge and our plea is that the BNF goes for the primaries while there is still time. The 2024 general elections is a project for the UDC and we should be ready by dealing with the primaries. It was disastrous to lose all council wards and parliament seat to BDP,” said Lekoko.
BNF lost its stronghold constituency to the BDP in 2019 with the incumbent area MP Thulagano Segokgo of BDP defeating UDC candidate Masego Segokgo who won Tlokweng by-election in 2017.
Factions harmful
BNF South Central Regional Vice Chairperson James Matlhogojane says that the BNF should try by all means to avoid having factions either at the central committee and constituencies’ levels.
He said that the BNF suffered a debilitating loss in the 2019 general elections due to factions that ensued from the disputes of Bulela Ditswe with some bitter members decampaigning the party.
So, he cautioned Tlokweng constituency not to entertain the factions to brew inside the party.
“The southern region constituencies forms the core part of BNF success and as we are aiming to reclaim them back in 2024, we must be all united in each every constituency because if we aren’t we will give the BDP room to dismantle us. Peace in BNF Tlokweng is key for victory,” he stated.