STAFF WRITERS
Some members of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) have received with comfort the decision by the party central committee to meet with Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) last week to address issues such as elections rigging amidst a controversial trip by Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to Zimbabwe.
Information turned out by this publication is that several BCP members are accusing the leadership for entertaining UDC as the meeting could suggest that BCP is on a mission to smoke peace pipe with UDC.
At the meeting it is said that discussions focused on how parties could work together to guard against possible elections fraud that is being spearheaded by IEC and ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
Highly placed sources within BCP hint that now the central committee is under pressure to clear the air regarding BCP/UDC meeting, a development that has also divided the central committee to large extent. “It has been clear that BCP will not associate with UDC when it come to 2024 elections. The meeting could be a trap by the UDC to make opposition voters turn against the party in the case we don’t want to associate with it on issues. Also, we got mandate from our members to exit UDC and the meeting can backfire negatively and cause divisions within party,” said a source close to the BCP leadership top brass.
The source noted that it remains to be seen whether BCP leadership will heed to the members plea to not fall in any political bromance with UDC. BCP special congress last year resolved for BCP to leave UDC.
Both BCP and UDC leadership remained tight lipped and couldn’t be drawn into discussing contents of the meeting.
Meanwhile, the opposition has collectively agreed to petition the IEC following its recent benchmarking trip to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). The opposition believe IEC will rig elections for BDP.
“It is as a result of these shameful acts that the opposition collective in Botswana, have come together to initiate a joint programme of action aimed at mobilizing our people to stand against any attempt to undermine our country’s elections,” the parties said in a joint statement binding eight opposition parties.
Political analyst
Commenting on the meeting, political commentator Kitso Morekisi said according to his view, there is no problem for opposition parties to take unitary path in dealing with issues that affect them like elections. He said the downfall for the opposition in Botswana has been always infighting amongst them parties.
This, he said, will continue to be advantage to the BDP, adding that issues on elections would require one voice of the opposition to bring about much impact needed to effect electoral reforms in the country.