A PARTNER NEGLECTED
One of the three founder-members of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) in 2011 - Motlatsi Molapisi-led Botswana Peoples Party - is unhappy with the treatment they are getting in the coalition especially in terms of positions.
The other founding members of the UDC are Botswana National Front, led by Duma Boko, Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) led by the late Gomolemo Motswaledi at its formative stage.
Boko and Motswaledi were the founder president and vice president of the UDC respectively with Molapisi being founder chairman of the coalition.
While the BMD is no longer with the UDC, the BNF remains a member in good standing and continues to lead the Umbrella.
“It is sad that although the BPP has never left the UDC since joining in 2011 as a founder member, it has not been given the recognition it deserves. For instance, when the BCP joined the Umbrella in 2012, its leader, Dumelang Saleshando became the UDC vice president, while the BPP leader, Molapisi remained the UDC chairman.
“The chairmanship position is simply a ceremonial one as it does not even exist in the UDC constitution,” a BPP official preferring anonymity, said.
He is also angry that when the BCP returned to the UDC before the 2019 general elections after leaving the coalition just before the 2014 general elections, Saleshando resumed the position of UDC vice president, while his team reclaimed the portfolios they held before pulling out of the UDC earlier.
“We hear the Alliance for Progressives (AP) is re-joining the UDC and one of the conditions for their return, we are told, is the reclaiming of the positions of UDC vice president by the party, as well as managing the wards and constituencies they have managed before,” said the BPP official, who is of the view that as a founding member of the UDC which has been loyal to the coalition, the party deserves better.
“When people migrated back and forth, we and the BNF remained. We have always been here. We certainly deserve a better treatment than what we have thus far been given,” complained the BPP activist.
According to the source, not everybody in the BPP and BNF support the offer by the UDC to shield BCP defectors from primary elections.
“There is opposition to this but those who reject the undemocratic gesture are roundly accused of being unpatriotic, selfish and greedy. The truth is that the BCP defectors they are bringing here are the ones who are just being opportunistic.
“In their heart of hearts, they know they are neither BNF nor BPP members. All they want are the positions. This will be happening at the expense of the BNF and BPP cadres who have been mobilising in the concerned wards and constituencies all along,” the disappointed activist lamented.
Apparently, there is a groundswell of opposition to the decision to introduce direct membership to the UDC.
“Dissident members of the coalition partners are pressing for direct membership of the UDC and if entertained, this could create needles tensions within the coalition.
“Our fear is that the leadership of the coalition may unilaterally allocate them wards and constituencies without engaging the concerned parties. Direct membership to the UDC should wait until the parties are ready to dissolve and turn the UDC into a single party.
“A lot of care should be applied here to avoid a situation where 'a dissident’ member from one of the partners joins the other coalition partner risking costly tensions between the coalition partners,” the source suggested.
Responding to an enquiry from The Midweek Sun, the UDC Head of Communications, Moeti Mohwasa expressed doubt as to whether indeed there are any dissenting voices in the UDC.
According to Mohwasa, authentic BPP members are disciplined members of the UDC who know that the BPP is currently holding and being assigned powerful positions and assignments within the coalition.
“It is therefore doubtful if indeed that is from BPP members as you allege. The negotiations with AP will be led by Professor Philip Bulawa and Dr Patrick Molutsi both chairperson of the BPP and the BNF respectively.
“The two will be representing the UDC. No guidelines nor proposals have been agreed upon as yet and we are at sea as to the assertion that AP will get certain positions.
“We know that there are certain elements outside the UDC who would not like to see the AP and the UDC working together to the extent that they would sponsor negative stories about us. It is not surprising and we would be naïve to expect everyone to wish us well,” Mohwasa said.
When celebrating the return of the AP to the UDC at a rally at Mapoka recently, Boko did insinuate that the AP would be given the same positions and responsibilities they held in the past should they return to the UDC.