Fear for BCP as many councillors defect to UDC
In what may turn out to be the biggest challenge in its 26-year-old history, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), risks losing dozens of Councillors and Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
With the UDC leader, Duma Boko dangling the carrot to the BCP Councillors and Members of Parliament (MP) who are promised protection from the menace of primary elections for the 2024 general elections, many believe that the BCP is under threat.
Thus far, says the UDC Head of Communications Moeti Mohwasa, more than 15 councillors from the BCP have joined the UDC. One of them is Molefhe Molatlhegi, the Deputy Mayor of Selibe Phikwe.
“In 2019, the BCP took us to the UDC but now they want us to return to the BCP without giving us any good reasons as far as I am concerned. It would be hypocritical of me to say I belong to the BCP. I won under the UDC ticket. My decision to leave the BCP was not unilateral. I consulted my voters and what I picked is that, they believe that regime change is possible only with the UDC as the vehicle,” said Molatlhegi.
His view is that, should the BCP not reconsider its position on the UDC, it risks becoming an empty shell after the 2024 general elections. According to councillor for Botshabelo East, Ramatopi Kgakgamatso, who has recently defected to the UDC, the people want a change of government.
“My view is that the BCP should have stayed in the coalition and not be quick to quit because of the disagreements. The BCP sabotaged the nation in 2014 when they contested the elections alone. We lost badly and the results affected our integrity as a party. Why is it that before every election, the BCP pulls out of the collective?” Kgakgamatso wondered.
He added that the BCP should be sensitive to the view of the people whenever they make major political decisions. He is certain that the decision to go it alone is not in line with the aspirations of the people.
‘’The fact that the UDC project did better in the 2019 general elections speaks volumes to the fact that, as the opposition, we need each other. For the first time, we won constituencies such as Tutume, Tswapong South, Phikwe west, among others which have been Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) stronghold since independence”, said Kgakgamatso who left the BCP because he is tired of the questions he gets asked by the electorate when his erstwhile party goes it alone in the elections.
His prediction is that more and more people will leave the BCP over time for the reason that it is not part of the UDC coalition. “I left them because, I could no longer ignore the clear signs before us concerning the will of the people,” he noted.
Phemelo Nthwane of Selibe Phikwe West, silently left the BCP when it expelled four (4) of its MPs who had attended a UDC meeting in defiance of the party leadership.
“I cannot understand why (Dumelang) Saleshando does not like the UDC. Whether we like it or not, unity is power. We can only achieve our goals when united as the opposition. As for me my voters want serious politicians.
They are the ones who drive me,” Nthwane noted.
For her part, Onalenna Kobe of Sesame south said the BCP is not concerned about the regime change agenda.
“It is impossible for the BCP or any other party to change government alone. That is unfortunate because while we have kept the BDP in government for 56 years, some of our neighbouring countries have changed government,” Kobe said, adding that the BCP will experience humiliation in the 2024 general elections.
“The BCP cannot match the UDC alone,” she predicted.