Adv Boko, BNF Central committee clash

Botswana National Front (BNF) President Advocate Duma Boko is a man at loggerheads with his central committee following a decision taken by the committee to remove Moeti Mohwasa from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) team.

Mohwasa, a well-known BNF stalwart and a close ally of the BNF president, was removed by the central committee during its meeting this past Sunday. Mohwasa was retained to continue as part of the BNF representatives at the UDC to form part of the coalition National Executive Committee (NEC). Mohwasa, a former Secretary General of the BNF lost to Ketlhalefile Motshegwa during the party elective congress held last year July at Baisago University.

Those close to the developments have revealed that Adv. Boko has maintained since last year that the retaining of Mohwasa was strategic for both the BNF and UDC ahead of the 2024 general election. Sources have revealed that the plan is to use Mohwasa to drive the UDC mandate in terms of building structures and pushing the direct membership of the UDC.

According to a press statement from Secretary General Motshegwa the central committee in its meeting of the 16th April 2023 resolved to appoint BNF Women’s League President Dr. Bonang Nkoane to serve in the UDC NEC as part of BNF representatives. This means that the BNF will be represented by Adv. Boko, Motshegwa, BNF Chairman Dr. Patrick Molutsi and Dr. Nkoane.

Insiders who attended the central committee on Sunday in Francistown revealed to Botswana Guardian that the representation of the BNF at UDC was taken by the executive and it had to be ratified by the central committee. It is alleged that some central committee members are not happy that Mohwasa being at UDC is undermining the BNF. At the Francistown meeting, the retaining of Mohwasa is said to have been supported by Happy Bashe, Justin Hunyepa and Dr. Motsomi Marobela.

This week Adv. Boko, who did not attend the Francistown meeting, was to be briefed on the resolutions taken, but warned that the Francistown meeting did not end and there should not be any communication made in the name of the party or in the exercise of any other powers. The president made these remarks in a leaked central committee communication. This is after a communication was issued regarding the appointment of the women’s league president to the UDC NEC.

It is alleged that Adv. Boko wants the central committee to reverse the decision taken. Botswana Guardian has established that some members of the central committee have threatened to resign from the committee if such a decision is taken at the insistence of the president.

Adv. Boko said, “I understand the CC is set to continue its meeting virtually tomorrow. A resolution was apparently taken, which has the potential to cause massive disruption to the UDC and the programmes that are underway there.

“I am unable to stand idly by and watch these developments unfold. I therefore direct that the meeting not proceed virtually but take place physically so these and other issues may be discussed fully. I propose that the meeting take place this Wednesday. This is in exercise of the powers vesting in me in terms of the BNF Constitution.”

The directive by the president has been met with resistance. Questions on who briefed him are being raised, as he was to be briefed by the vice president Dr. Micus Chimbombi, Chairman Dr. Molutsi and Secretary General Motshegwa. The president was questioned on whether he has usurped the role of other portfolios and whether the central committee duties remain suspended until that envisaged meeting.

“All along I thought our culture rooted on the constitution was that once a properly convened meeting takes resolution, democratic centralism says you all are bound by the majority decision. Article 2.3 makes it clear that once a decision is taken, minority are bound by that decision and expect to implement it,” reads a message from the secretary general sent to the central committee WhatsApp group.

BNF Information and Publicity Secretary Justin Hunyepa confirmed last week’s meeting in Francistown. He said the meeting was adjourned since they could not finish the agenda. He told this publication that resolution of the central committee will be shared once the meeting has been concluded.