Scramble for Francistown West divides BCP

The worm has turned within the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) at the Francistown West constituency after Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and BCP leadership allegedly endorsed an agreement to swap constituencies such that the BCP gets Maun West and BMD gets Francistown. This deal will allow BCP President Dumelang Saleshando to contest for a parliamentary seat in Maun while the BMD has offered Francistown West to Botswana People’s Party (BPP). However, some members of BCP are allegedly engaged in secret meetings with a view to cross the floor to the BPP in order to position themselves for the 2019 general elections. According to the deal, BMD will hand over the constituency to BPP once the negotiations are done leaving disgruntled and dejected faces at BCP. Those who spoke anonymously were furious that the constituency is their stronghold and that they were likely to win in the following general elections having won it twice through Vain Mamela and Habaodi Hubona.

They are dead worried that BPP has never worked hard in the constituency hence they strongly believe that for the opposition to win the constituency one of their own must jump ship and bail out their companions if they indeed want to win the next general elections. Speaking to The Midweek Sun over the weekend, BMD chairperson Nehemiah Modubule reiterated his party’s stance to hand over the constituency to BPP even though he refused to reveal what they will benefit in return. This publication has it on good record that before an official announcement can be made, some BCP members who were earmarked to contest the party’s primaries for the constituency are ready to cross the floor to BPP in order to be considered for nomination.

A BCP prominent member said that BPP currently has no suitable candidate to win the constituency from the ruling party hence their collective decision to cross over and assist the ailing party with a strong and credible candidate who can compete for honours. “As it is, BPP was caught off-guard and it will take them a long time to find the right candidate to contest at the constituency whilst on the other hand, it will be very easy for someone from BCP to win the constituency since they have been on the ground for a very long time knowing very well that the constituency rightfully belongs to them under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) constituency allocation deal,” the source said. Meanwhile, BPP President Motlatsi Molapisi admitted that he was aware of the current developments but will only make an official comment once the deal is finalised and there is an official note to that effect from BMD. The BCP members swear they will have none of it, and have labelled their leadership a dictatorship for wanting to hand over their constituency without consulting the foot soldiers.