It is the BDP that is dying -BNF

The Botswana National Front (BNF) strongly condemns the sustained propaganda and malicious lies propagated by some journalists and politicians masquerading as academic analysts. We make reference to the Botswana Guardian newspaper article by Edward Bule Mpoloka of 8^th January 2021, headlined ‘BNF is Dying-UB Don’.

Ethically and professionally, the journalist should have solicited official BNF comment to balance his story. He chose not to, so that his malicious article cement his narrative of a dying BNF. He further unethically bolsters his story with a faceless ‘pro Dibeela BNF activist’ to represent the BNF side. Mr Mpoloka further ropes in a known Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) activist, a Leonard Sesa, who frequently behaves more like a soothsayer than a university academic. Sesa pronounces the death of BNF without supporting his claims. We once again appeal to those approached to comment on political issues to give sound and highly academic objective analysis which will not only bring integrity to the organisations they come from, but will also add value to the political literature.

On 16^th November 2020, the BNF President, Cde Duma Boko welcomed more than 100 members from the BDP in Lobatse, including a 2019 parliamentary candidate, Jacob Kamal. Thousands of new and mainly youthful members join the BNF every year. The BNF has successfully held its statutory conferences and congresses without fail as per its constitution, despite the dying claims. The BNF under Boko has remained intact since 2010 and its membership grown exponentially. The party has fully functional administrative offices. After the 2014 general elections, the same sponsored malicious lies of a dying BNF were drummed up by some media houses and the so called analysts from the University of Botswana. Three parliamentary bye elections were held at different intervals at Goodhope, Mochudi East and Tlokweng constituencies. The BNF of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) won all of them despite the fake prophesies about its death. And embarrassingly, the BDP used state resources to campaign in all these constituencies. The BNF challenges Pono Moatlhodi and Aubrey Lesaso to resign their parliamentary seats and seek fresh mandates. The BNF is confident that it will convincingly win back the seats for the UDC. We maintain that the BDP rigged the 2019 general elections especially in the south where the BNF was assigned most of UDC constituencies.

The Botswana courts unreasonably refused to listen to the UDC election petitions, an indictment to the separation of powers and democracy in general. Only a dying party like BDP would not have confidence to face election petition cases in courts. If there is a dying party in Botswana, it is the BDP which has split twice since 2010 with the formation of Botswana Movement for Democracy and Botswana Patriotic Front. The BDP has not only lost two MPs but several councillors and in the Central District Council alone, around 12 councillors.

There are endless deadly battles at the BDP where President Masisi has publicly and continues to harass and ridicule former President Khama; fought with former Ministers Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi and Moyo Guma. Guma had to flee to South Africa while Moitoi was labelled a non-citizen and a Nyasa woman. He fought with legislator Moswaane and the legislator has since quit the party; He fought with an innocent citizen Rapitsenyane at the Serowe kgotla when he asked a governance question; Masisi has also fought with former Chief Spy Isaac Kgosi; former PSP Carter Morupisi and many others. He has countlessly harassed BNF and UDC President Boko in the 2019 general elections build up. Currently, Masisi is fighting a ferocious battle with his Secretary General, Mpho Balopi. His battles have now put Botswana in a diplomatic row with South Africa after Botswana engaged an Afrikaner apartheid organisation, Afriforum in the fake P100 billion fraud case. With unprecedented corruption by the BDP, Batswana are witnessing the last kicks of the BDP and sadly, the collapse of Botswana economy. It is the BDP that is dying and currently held together by a thin thread of stolen public resources, hence its aggressive recruitment from the opposition ranks by exploiting same public resources for resuscitation. The BNF is as fit as a fiddle and it is here to stay.

Justin Hunyepa

BNF Information & Publicity Secretary