Amidst pomp and fanfare, Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), was launched in Kanye over the weekend minus a delegates conference as planned because the party is yet to form structures in constituencies around the country.
Therefore, a congress is now billed for Palapye in the next two weeks where the party will elect a new leadership. During the high attended launch in Kanye, the party endorsed Tati West Member of Parliament, Biggie Butale, as the interim president while Roseline Panzirah- Matshome remains the interim chairperson. The two together with other interim central committee members will hold positions until the elective congress that will form the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Palapye.
In his remarks Butale said BPF is now ready to ensure that the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) loses the general elections in October. Oozing with confidence, the Tati West lawmaker said the envisaged partnership with other opposition parties, particularly the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), will mark the end of BDP rule. “BDP’ is fast aproaching the end of the journey as a ruling party. I am confident that BDP will be a new opposition party after October elections. We are ready to bring down this evil called Domkrag,” Butale said.
For his part, former president Ian Khama announced an extension of BDP MPs he is targeting to decampaign by adding Boteti East youthful Member of Parliament Setlhomo Lelatisitswe. Khama said he will ensure that Lelatisitswe loses the elections to Oboetswe Gabotale, whom he endorsed while in Mmatshumo last week. Setlhomo adds to Khama’s hit list following his threat to take down Vice President Slumber Tsogwane, indicating that he rallies behind UDC candidate Sam Digwa.
Khama told the audience that he will soon make another visit to the exiled Tibetan Spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, who remains his close friend. “I am soon going to visit Dalai Lama again because he is my real friend. Who doesn’t know that? This government does not want me to visit him. He gives me gifts and we are very close friends,” Khama stressed.In March Government refused to avail resources for Khama to visit Dalai Lama as Botswana feared a backlash from China over the ‘One China Policy’ that she subscribes to.