Pilane quits BMD presidency

President of Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) Advocate Duma Boko says the purported leadership of Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) is illegitimate.

Advocate Boko revealed this on Wednesday indicating that BMD remains a member of UDC in good standing but the leadership that was elected at Matshekge Hill School in Bobonong led by Advocate Sidney Pilane is not legitimate and cannot be accepted.

“We have since written to the BMD and served them on Monday that they have to constitute an interim. The interim committee would then send four representatives who will sit in the UDC National Executive Committee. 

“Then after that the BMD would hold fresh elective congress before January 31st 2018. The leadership that would have been elected at the congress would then replace the interim members,” said Advocate Boko. 

Botswana Guardian however, has it on good authority that Advocate Pilane has accepted to comply with UDC’s verdict and is ready and prepared to step down from the BMD presidency to allow for a fresh congress. 

Pilane, who was in South Africa on Wednesday, is said to be willing to sacrifice himself to prove that he has nothing against the leadership of Boko. 

He wants to make it clear that he genuinely believes in opposition unity. Impeccable sources say the only thing he would not accept was if the UDC had proposed to expel BMD from the coalition, which he had threatened he would fight to the bitter end.

He is said to be happy to remain an ordinary member of the BMD and is ready to be deployed to any position should the party feel the need to. 

Boko told the Press that they have given this time line so that the BMD would be part of the UDC Constitutional Congress billed for February next year. He pointed out that the draft constitution would be discussed at the congress where all UDC members would have an input before the Constitution is adopted.

It remains to be seen if the BMD, which is said to be skating on thin ice will now bow to pressure and listen to the UDC. Should the BMD disregard this order from UDC it could find itself outside the UDC.

“We are awaiting their response and we would act accordingly when they respond. We want a congress that is free, fair and credible. We will act in the best interest of the UDC,” said Advocate Boko adding that through the powers he has as the UDC president he would act.

“The powers sometimes do not have to be in the constitution. There is a case of Botswana National Front when Botswana Congress Party was formed when court ruled that the president cannot just sit and watch while the organisation falls apart.