BAKANG TIRO
editors@thepatriot.co.bw
Peace is eluding the coalition Umbrella for Democratic (UDC) particularly influenced by some of the Botswana National Front (BNF) members who have disregarded UDC constituencies allocation that favored Botswana Peoples Party and Alliance for Progressives (AP) in constituencies they also eyed.
At the centre of a brewing storm inside the UDC, is the decision by BNF members Dr Tlamelo Mmatli, Obakeng Matlou and Gilbert Watshipi to launch parallel campaigns against AP and BPP candidates.
Insiders in UDC say the trio actions have caused division within UDC and other UDC contracting partners being AP, BPP and Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) have instructed BNF to punish its dissenting members.
“Other UDC partners are not happy and demanded BNF to take action against its members. Parties demanded that BNF take action urgently because the campaigns by BNF members in constituencies not allocated to BNF is putting UDC brand in a bad light before voters,” said a source close to developments.
It is said BNF central committee meeting scheduled for next week will address the complaints put forward by other UDC contracting partners and Matlou, Watshipi and Mmatli could be suspended.
BNF Secretary General Ketlhalefile Motshegwa didn’t respond to inquiries sent to him at press time.
Political analyst Kitso Morekisi said the developments as unfolding in the UDC particularly being influenced by the BNF cadres demonstrate that UDC constituencies allocation has created chaos.
Morekisi also said the BNF disgruntled members are declaring war and that could provoke the party leadership to suspend or expel, a development that will lead them to get sympathy from the masses.
“The UDC leadership should have embarked on some kind of healing process by bringing together those who didn’t make it in the constituency allocation cut and offer some message of hope to them. This kind of disgruntlement is not good for UDC and BNF. Unhappy BNF members seasoned politicians,” he added.
Kgatleng East
UDC for the first allocated the constituency to BPP with Nono Kgafela- Mokoka set to represent the coalition but BNF Kgatleng East constituency protested UDC decision pushing for Matlou to candidacy.
Contacted for a comment on Thursday, Matlou said his belief is that the best time to engage on the Kgatleng East brouhaha is after BNF and Kgatleng East and BPP Kgatleng East constituency committees would have met for the first time ever since the misbegotten allocation of constituencies by the UDC.
“I and BNF Kgatleng East constituency Chairman and BNF are simply discharging our constitutional duties, doing nothing unusual from what we have been doing all these years within Kgatleng East, which is campaigning ceaselessly for and on behalf of the UDC,” stressed the maverick Matlou in an interview.
Molepolole South
Former Molepolole South MP Dr Tlamelo Mmatli’s campaign is gaining traction in the constituency.
Contacted for comment this week about his ongoing campaign against UDC anointed candidate Shima Monageng by the virtue of the constituency being assigned to AP to contest it for 2024 elections, Mmatli declined to comment emphasizing that he has suspended interviews with the media at the moment.
In an interview with this publication recently, Mmatli revealed AP has been awarded the constituency although it is undeserving it, accusing leaders of AP, BPP and BPF for influencing decision on AP favour.
He said BNF has been working tirelessly in the constituency after 2019 elections preparing for this year 2024 elections, adding that BNF Molepolole South is not happy with how presidents of UDC contracting parties decided to resolve standoff over the constituency between AP and BNF at UDC allocation talks.
Mmatli said Ndaba Gaolathe, Mephato Reatile and Motlatsi Molapise decided to corner Duma Boko and defeat him by a vote to resolve the issue garnering a majority vote leaving his president Boko helpless.
to unfairly give the constituency to AP against, adding that AP is not visible and attractive at Molepolole.
Mmopane-Metsimotlhabe
AP and BNF are at war for the renamed constituency formerly from the delimitation exercise (Mmopane-Lentsweletau) with BNF’s Watshipi launched a campaign bolstered by UDC Madibelatlhopho against AP’s Helen Pushi Manyaneng.
Watshipi didn’t answer calls into his mobile phone after several attempts to solicit comment from him.
However, the UDC poll watchers Madibelatlhopho added to the fallout woes between AP and BNF by posting on Thursday on its official Facebook page announcing Watshipi’s candidacy for the elections.
Observers and other UDC partner parties responded to the move as clear sign of a big brother mentality trait that has been attached to BNF under the UDC, with AP members calling for BNF leadership to act. Some members of AP constituency committee in Mmopane-Metsimotlhabe expressed dissatisfaction, accusing BNF leadership of tolerating actions of their members for a failure to act against their deeds.
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