Bulawa eyes BPP presidency

I will decide my fate after NEC meeting- Prof Bulawa

BPP central committee to decide on the congress

BAKANG TIRO

editors@thepatriot.co.bw

Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) Secretary General Professor Phillip Bulawa is in pole position to become the next president as the party gears up for elective congress before end of year.

The veteran University of Botswana (UB) lecturer is said to have been lobbied to join the race for the party presidency to replace the outgoing president Motlatsi Molapisi who is retiring from active politics. Sources inside Botswana’s oldest political party said Prof Bulawa is being brought in the race to parry the prospects of Francistown West MP Ignatius Moswaane who is also eyeing the presidency.

It is said that some of the old BPP guards are vehemently against Moswaane to be the party president but he is enjoying the support of president Molapisi who recruited him to join the party.

In an interview late Friday, Prof Bulawa said he will announce which position he will contest for when time is right. “Time will tell when I will contest for the central committee and for which position. There is a central committee meeting that will resolve in the future of the congress and that’s when I will make my position whether I will contest or not,” said Bulawa in an interview cagey with details.

Bulawa would only say he is currently focusing on reviving the party structures at lower levels. He indicated that BPP has been joined by many people of late hence they need a vibrant party. “BPP is the party that is becoming attractive to members and this means that we must revive the party and retain the members that we continue to welcome. My assignment with others is to ensure that the party remains competitive and attractive to the members,” said Prof Bulawa.

In addition, Prof Bulawa said that the BPP elective congress has been delayed by the Covid-19.

However, he said that the party is optimistic that the elective congress will be held noting that a team has been assembled to look assess the situation of Covid-19 and is expected to give feedback.

He believes that the elective congress will make the party more intact as well as laying the way forward for the party structures to prepare for the 2024 general elections under UDC coalition.

Bulawa been a member of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) since its formation in 1998 before he defected to BPP and he lost the 2014 general elections against Biggie Butale of BDP in Tati West.

He explained at a time of joining the BPP that he had always been attracted to its philosophy especially on land ownership and still reiterates that BPP philosophies are good for the UDC.

The presidential race for BPP presidency is said to have caused divisions inside the ancient party. BPP president and Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Chairman Molapisi is said it have fallen out with some of central committee members who accuse him of being a divisive figure. “President Molapisi favors Moswaane for the presidency but the old members of the party are against his succession plan. Some of the BPP and UDC central committee members are lobbying for Bulawa to be the next party leader,” said highly placed source who preferred not to be named.

Maverick Francistown West MP Moswaane who defected from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) became an ideal candidate to replace Molapisi and is enjoys lot of support from him.

Efforts to contact both Moswaane and Molapisi for a comment proved were fruitless at press time. In a previous interview, Moswaane said that he didn’t make his mind yet on whether to run for BPP presidency but he stated that if the members want him to contest he will definitely stands.

“I am still new in the party but I have been received with warm hands by the party leadership. I will be depending on how whether the members want me to contest or not,” he said at a time.