New Botswana - Trouble in paradise
The promised new Botswana from the opposition coalition negotiating parties might go up in smoke ahead of the expected conclusion of negotiations billed for this coming Wednesday, Botswana Guardian has established.
Alliance for Progressives (AP), Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and Botswana Labour Party (BLP) are currently in talks to establish a block that will take them to the 2024 general election.
Investigations by Botswana Guardian has uncovered that the negotiations which have been held under high level of sensitivity and secrecy have also been characterised by a hostile environment.
Key players in the hostility are the AP and BCP which are the anchors of the negotiations. The BLP, a newly-formed breakaway party of the Botswana National Front (BNF) has been a less significant player in as much as key
issues of leadership, coalition name and colour and constituency allocation are concerned.
While the BCP has been accused of big brother mentality in the talks, and dictating terms, the AP is on the other hand accused of having a big appetite but with a limited capacity.
This publication has established that the talks have been postponed on two occasions at the request of the AP as differences on certain key constituencies continue to take centre-stage.
The parties were expected to again meet this week Monday but the convenors had to postpone at the request of the AP, as its lead negotiator and Vice President Wynter Mmolotsi, is out of the country on Parliament business.
According to sources, the meeting is expected to be reconvened on Monday 10th and to be concluded on Wednesday 12th April 2023.
The three parties from the start agreed on proper framework for negotiation, how constituencies will be allocated, how the coalition will be governed and how the leadership of the coalition will be voted. As things stand,
differences are on how the leadership should be voted and the model and name of the coalition and a deadlock on four constituencies.
The BCP and AP are deadlocked on Tati West, Nata Gweta, Francistown West and Gaborone North. Information reaching this publication is that this week BCP intended to give away Gaborone North as a form of bowing down to pressure and quell the possible collapse of the talks.
The BCP has already handed Gaborone Central and Mogoditshane to the AP. The parties have agreed that the presidents of the three parties should be allowed to choose constituencies of their choice for 2024.
AP leader Ndaba Gaolathe will contest Gaborone Bonnington South, BCP President Dumelang Saleshando will be defending Maun West, while Dr. Rev Prince Dibeela settled for Gaborone Bonnington North.
Incumbency would apply in the national polls using the 2019 general election as reference where AP has one seat and the BCP 11 Parliamentary seats.
Documents seen by this publication reveal that 14 constituencies have been ring-fenced (not form part of negotiation as they fall under incumbency and presidential choice) out of the 57 constituencies.
These are the 12 constituencies already with MPs and the two constituencies for Dr. Dibeela and Gaolathe.
This left 43 constituencies up for negotiations. AP initially got seven before getting an additional four to have 11, BCP got 12 from the negotiations to make 23 constituencies, including of the ring-fenced 11 constituencies, while BLP will now manage 11 constituencies.
Botswana Guardian can reveal that the AP has proposed Areka (Arc) as the name for the coalition, the BCP proposed AP-BCP Alliance, while the BLP had expressed its comfort with any of the names.
The BCP has opposed the proposal by the AP, according to insiders on grounds that parties will lose their brand identities and this might be costly both in time and resources as they prepare for the general election next year.
The AP feels Areka would be able to cater for all the parties without any being dominant in the coalition.
Information gathered from the talks reveal that one of the burning issues is how to constitute the electoral college. The electoral college is the selection of delegates who will vote at the elective congress for the coalition leadership.
AP has proposed that there should be a representation of one person per party per constituency. This will mean 171 delegates will be expected to vote. The BCP has opposed this and put on the table a proposal for 10 people per constituency per party as delegates.
The argument by the BCP is that one person per constituency is not a true reflection of democracy and representation of the parties. The party argues that the principle of democracy would be defeated and has stood its ground for10 delegates per constituency.
This comes after however, at formative stage the parties had agreed that there should only be a voting for President and Deputy President.
According to sources, there are fears from the AP, as the arrangement proposed by the BCP has a high likelihood to disenfranchise them and fail to secure a single seat in the coalition National Executive Committee (NEC) given their membership across the country.
BCP Secretary General Goretetse Kekgonegile said he is constrained to discuss issues surrounding the talks given the sensitivity of the negotiations. He said all along the BCP has negotiated in good faith with the democratic spirit of give and take.
According to Kekgonegile, everything will be shared with the media and the public during a press conference after the conclusion of the talks expected next week.
AP Secretary General Dr. Phenyo Butale said his party cannot comment on what happens at the negotiating table as a single entity. Dr. Butale explained that they have agreed on a joint communication platform that issues communiques when authorised by the negotiating team.
CONSTITUENCY ALLOCATION THUS FAR BCP concedes Gaborone Central and Mogoditshane to AP
AP Gaborone Central, Gaborone Bonnington South, Kanye South, Gabane-Mankgodi, Thamaga-Kumakwane, Molepolole South, Molepolole North, Lentsweletau-Mmopane, Francistown South, Tlokweng, Mogoditshane and Lerala-Maunatlala.
BCP Moshupa, Ramotswa, Gaborone South, Shashe West, Mochudi East, Gantsi South, Mahalapye West, Mahalapye East, Palapye, Sefhare-Ramokgonami, Mmadinare, Selibe-Phikwe West, Selibe-Phikwe East, Bobonong, Francistown East, Tati East, Okavango, Chobe, Maun West, Maun East, Ngami, Nkange, and Boteti East.
BLP Kgalagadi South, Lobatse, Goodhope-Mabule, Gaborone Bonnington North, Mochudi West, Shoshong, Serowe South, Mmathethe-Molapowabojang, Kanye North, Letlhakeng-Lephephe and Tonota.
DEADLOCKED BETWEEN AP AND BCP
Tati West, Nata-Gweta, Francistown West and Gaborone North.
PARKED FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION BETWEEN BCP AND BLP Boteti West
NOT YET ALLOCATED Kgalagadi North, Takatokwane- Motokwe, Gantsi North, Jwaneng, Serowe West and Serowe North East.
NEW CONSTITUENCIES STILL TO BE ALLOCATED Mogoditshane, Maun North, Okavango, Metsimotlhabe and Kgatleng Central