Opposition to cash in on BDP F/town disputes
Opposition parties in Francistown region may cash in on the infighting between aggrieved Botswana Democratic Party members, if the matter is not addressed promptly.
Member of Central Committee (MCC) Shaw Kgathi was unceremoniously forced to abandon a meeting recently which he had been sent by the party leadership to give the recent Bulela Ditswe winners at Francistown South a go ahead to start their 2019 general elections campaigns.
But his mission was interrupted by furious members who forced him to go back to party headquarters to start afresh by resolving the previous primary election protests which were never addressed.
So serious is the matter that some BDP members interviewed on condition of anonymity said the party is likely to lose the Francistown city constituencies in the coming general elections as those disgruntled will most likely sabotage BDP and hand over the two constituencies to the opposition.
Francistown Regional chairperson Badumetse Medupi does not agree with the current stance taken by some democrats. He told Botswana Guardian that there is a difference between party policy and self-interest.
Medupi is greatly, disturbed by the current developments sayinmg there is an existing party policy regarding membership registration which those gunning for primary elections tend to deliberately ignore to serve their own personal interests.
“At BDP voter registration books are handled by the party structures who make it a point that members are registered ahead of any general elections or on any ordinary day they would prefer to do so. This clearly reflects that those interested in contesting for any political positions are in the dark about the party policy since they are only driving their self-interests,” Medupi said.
He said candidates must focus on recruiting members of their side instead of castigating the party concerning membership registrations which has a specific department to handle.