Domkrag on panic

The much anticipated opposition cooperation talks expected to start next year have caused panic within the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) camp to the extent that some  in the party leadership want it to be an agenda item in today’s (Friday) Special Congress, Botswana Guardian can reveal.

According to sources, the ruling  party is  worried that any cooperation between the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) will dent its chances of retaining power in 2019 thus “something has to be done” to destabilise the cooperation between the two main opposition parties. The Special Congress comes as a result of a resolution that was taken during the party’s elective congress in Mmadinare early this year. Its purpose, according to the party leadership, is to discuss pending issues that were not dealt with at the Mmadinare congress.

However BDP insiders have revealed to this publication that the issue (cooperation between BCP and UDC) which is not on the congress programme will be raised from the floor. “The party leadership feels it has to be discussed especially how we are going to counter it as the party. The long and short of the matter is that should the cooperation be a success, our prospects of losing power are high”, said a prominent party insider. BCP and UDC have proclaimed their willingness and readiness to engage in unity talks. The talks were expected to start after the Boswelatlou by-election which was held this past weekend in Lobatse but UDC President Duma Boko has however said that his party will only be available for the negotiations next year. He said the party leadership is currently held up in other engagements. The two parties have already entered into an agreement on cooperation on by-elections until 2019.

The plan by BDP to frustrate the cooperation allegedly started when the party went on a recruitment drive to cripple the BCP by recruiting its members. The aim, according to sources was to destabilise the BCP so that the UDC would not find any use of uniting with a party that is already falling apart. The plan now is for the BDP to come up with another tactic and this time  more robust which could even mean setting up a taskforce team that will solely deal with the matter and report to the party Central Committee. It is not yet clear what mode of counter-intelligence the ruling party will resolve on at the end of the special congress on Saturday should the matter be dealt with.

When addressing a press conference in Gaborone on August 21, 2015, when the BCP was surrounded by controversy over the suspension of some of its members, Boko advised BCP members to deal with their issues rather than opting to join the UDC. He was responding to questions on whether it is true that his party is declining to admit disgruntled BCP members who wanted to join the UDC. BCP President Dumelang Saleshando on the other hand last month indicated that those members who have quit the party have started returning to the party and those who threatened to leave have now gone back on their decisions.

A BDP Member of Parliament who did not want to be named revealed that the party leadership, especially MPs, have put pressure on the party to have the matter prioritised. “If all goes well the issue will have to be first discussed during the consultative meeting with the President on Friday morning prior to the congress. It is a critical matter because given our performance during the 2014 general election, some of us our constituencies are at risk. We need to know what remedy do we have to counter this because believe you me if the opposition forges ahead and we are not prepared, we might as well kiss power goodbye”, said the MP.BDP Chairman for Communications and International Relations Sub Committee, Thapelo Pabalinga said that the Special Congress is intended to allow democrats more time to discuss a variety of issues pertinent to their party and also the republic. ‘As such, we cannot say opposition cooperation will be or will not be discussed. If our structures raise the issue it will be discussed, and if they raise it there is absolutely nothing amiss about that since we operate in a political environment with competitors whom we obviously must review from time to time,’ he explained.

‘We cannot at this point in time know whether it will be raised, how and by whom. At our official gatherings we do not have a record of it being pointed out. But it may have been raised informally by democrats in their routine exchanges, and they are at full liberty to raise such an issue among themselves as they do any other issue that affects party and country. One must fully appreciate that we are a party open to suggestions that promote dialogue between its members.’  As an organisation, he said, one must continuously assess their operating environment. He argues that it is the only way one will be in touch with reality, and it is the only way one would be able to deliver on one’s mandate.

‘The same applies to the BDP. We are not panicking, and we are not worried, but we routinely review what our competitors are doing. We are a party that knows how to win elections, Batswana trust us, the opposition wants to to be like us, so there is no threat we are feeling its simply opposition parties who have an illusion about winning elections.’BCP Publicity and Information Secretary, Dithapelo Keorapetse said they are on the lookout of any attempt by the ruling party to derail their efforts. “The BDP is left with only four years and of course they may come up with all sorts of tactics to infiltrate us. That is what happens to a regime of the BDP calibre, a corrupt regime that cares less about the lives of its people it will do all that is possible to remain in power. This is simply because the BDP can clearly see that, it is on its knees”, said Keorapetse. The BCP mouthpiece said they are aware that the BDP will use security apparatus to try and get information on the talks. He said as the opposition they care less about this because they know that even some members of the security organs are not happy with the current government.

“Whatever they would be planning some of these officers would notify us. They are also fed up with the BDP government. We remain focused as the BCP and we know that our counterparts from the UDC are also on the same page with us. We are optimistic that no matter what, we will be able to conclude the talks and usher in a new government in 2019 as the BDP will be against a formidable opposition.”UDC head of Elections Topias Kgosikoma told Botswana Guardian that it is up to the negotiating partners to ensure there is no room left for the BDP to frustrate the cooperation talks. He shared Keorapetse’s sentiments that they cannot allow the BDP to derail them because “this project is for Batswana. We are doing what is best for Batswana by ensuring that all goes according to plan. Individual negotiating parties have to make it a priority that the talks become a success.” Political Analyst Anthony Morima opined that it would be proper for the BDP to discuss the matter. Morima said the move clearly shows that the ruling party is threatened. He stated that the BDP should feel threatened by opposition given its performance in the last year’s general election. “It would be detrimental to the BDP if they ignore this development. If you recall the BDP has long started working on ways to try and frustrate these efforts by the opposition.

It was accused of influencing some BCP members to be against the cooperation. It even recruited some of the BCP key members some of whom have since joined the BDP.” The BDP Chairman, Mokgweetsi Masisi who is also the country’s Vice President this week revealed without going into details that there are other issues that the delegates to the special congress would like to be discussed. He explained that the party leadership via the central committee has consented to that. There are many BDP members who have different views about what the party should or should not do, he said. “Delegates asked to be given time to continue to discuss with colleagues and see if they can influence one another through a congress on what should the BDP do when and in what way. This is because the mission is very clear; we want to stay in power, we want to increase our influence and increase our membership and do well for Botswana. So following deliberations, ideas converged if there are sharp differences it might be put to a vote and the majority would prevail and it would become a party position.”The chairman said they are going to campaign vigorously as the BDP and “when we go into any election will win it.

Any weakness would be dealt with, even our own internal weakness. We are the premier political party in this country. Batswana if they dare not vote for us they will be sorry for bringing opposition on board. Even though they are talking about cooperating we will take them head on. This hullabaloo of winning election in 2019 is just a dream. Who misinformed them about that? This is not a mathematical game. Others there do not even have policies. We are not here to play games; we are going to talk to Batswana. Don’t underestimate our energy and hunger we have now because we should have never got 47 percent”, charged Masisi.