BPF's President Reatile isolated
A decision by the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) President, Mephato Reatile to withdraw from the Umbrella for Democratic Change has allegedly left him isolated as his National Executive Committee (NEC) has distanced itself from it.
Reatile told a press conference on Sunday at Serowe Hotel that he has invoked powers vested on him by the party Constitution to withdraw his party from the UDC and stated that they would be using the BPF symbol in the coming 2024 general election.
“This clause empowers the president in instances where he sees that there are troubles within the party and the party’s interest has to be saved. We deliberated at length this decision and it was not an easy one. As painful as it maybe, it is for the benefit of the party and its members,” Reatile, who is also Member of Parliament for Jwaneng-Mabutsane, said.
Information reaching this publication is that the NEC, some regional and Constituencies leadership have disowned Reatile on the matter. In a heated consultative meeting held in Serowe the leadership allegedly told Reatile that he should not associate them with the decision and demanded that he write the letter in his own personal capacity.
Tensions could be observed during a press conference as some of the NEC members among them the Secretary General Lawrence Ookeditse and Women’s League Chairperson Catherine Sepora resisted sitting at the top table. It was only after being convinced that Ookeditse joined the party president and party chairman, Carter Morupisi.
According to sources, the meeting had indicated to Reatile that the decision is his sole responsibility and there is no way they are going to associate with it. The party leadership is also facing a legal suit on the legality of the meeting. It has been argued that a decision cannot be taken during a consultative meeting.
“Consultative meeting means you consult then after that you discuss solutions. Imagine no member of the NEC was allowed to say a word and two-thirds of the constituencies represented said they don’t want out. The things that the president is using as scapegoat, we are the ones who failed to do them on time, we are to blame and not the UDC,” an NEC member said.
In a memo sent to party structures, Secretary General Ookeditse stated that the BPF NEC at its meeting of the 28th March 2024 resolved to host a consultative meeting with leaders of structures on the 6th April 2024 in Serowe. The agenda of this meeting, he said, was to update on matters of cooperation with other parties for the 2024 General Election.
Sources have revealed that plans are underway to mobilise for the removal of Reatile as BPF President. This can only be done through a Special Congress. However, Reatile has told this publication that the party has no funds to hold a Special Congress before the general election and the decision he took can only be reviewed by the congress which will be held next year.
Information leaked to Botswana Guardian from the BPF Official NEC WhatsApp group, is that members are furious about the decision. They argue that both the Rainbow School and Baisago University congresses all mandated the BPF to be part of the UDC and the acceptance letter was received, and representatives were sent to be part of the UDC NEC.
A call has been made to protect all BPF incumbents safe for Reatile, where a call has been made for a candidate to be identified to challenge him in Jwaneng-Mabutsane Constituency. It is argued that the same people who in the past rejected the Pact Model are now pushing for it.
“We called for a Pact Model on the basis that the BPF was new and needed to put its house in order. Majority of the BPF said the Pact Model was good for the party and wanted to see the party grow. You forced us inside now you want to pull us out.
“This is because people did things for their own interest. We have many people who left BPF because they wanted Pact Model. We even asked in one of the meetings in Mmadinare whether the BCP which had left the UDC was asked about what is at stake when joining the UDC, we were dismissed. Now, here we are,” a member, who attended the meeting, argued.
After the meeting Reatile wrote a letter to the UDC notifying them of his decision.
“I write to inform you of a decision that I, as BPF President, took on the 6th April 2024 at a BPF consultative meeting pertaining to our cooperation for the 2024 general election. At this meeting and given issues with allocation of wards and Constituencies among others, we decided to propose to work with the UDC through a pact instead of the alliance we had envisaged”, Reatile said, adding that on basis of this decision, BPF cease all
engagements it had entered into for an alliance with the UDC. "We, however, request a meeting to discuss the prospects of a pact at your earliest convenience," he said.
Reatile’s letter came a few days after the UDC through its Head of Communications Moeti Mohwasa invited the BPF to a UDC NEC meeting scheduled for today (Friday) in Palapye. The invitation dated 4th April 2024 and addressed to BPF Secretary General Lawrence Ookeditse, was extended to all UDC contracting partners.
In the letter seen by this publication Mohwasa said “kindly take note of the invitation to the UDC NEC meeting which will be held on the 12th April 2024 in Palapye at Cresta Botsalo Hotel. The meeting will start at 0830hrs. A press conference will be held in the afternoon at 1400hrs to share the outcome of the NEC meeting.”
Mohwasa stated further that the BPF can send proposed Agenda items if there are any by Tuesday 9th April 2024, so that the consolidated proposed Agenda items are shared with NEC members by Wednesday 10th April 2024.
Indications are that the UDC is likely to reject the request by the BPF. The decision to withdraw from the UDC is also expected to form part of the UDC NEC agenda items in today's (Friday) meeting.
Reatile told Botswana Guardian in an interview that having ceased any engagements with UDC they would not be attending the Friday meeting. He said the party will only have a meeting with the UDC NEC to discuss the issue proposed. According to Reatile any NEC member who wants to disassociate themselves with the decision taken has to step down from the NEC and be free.