BCP Young Turks want opposition talks now

The Botswana Congress Party Youth League (BCPYL) President, Tumiso Rakgare has called on the leaders of his party and the Umbrella for Democratic (UDC) to begin cooperation talks pronto.

Early this year, BCP and UDC announced a deal to work together in by-election until 2019. They also promised that cooperation talks would start in April this year. But the talks have been delayed as one of the UDC partners - Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD)- is currently in a crisis over the readmission of one of their founding leaders, Sydney Pilane.

Addressing a press conference this week, Rakgare said the time has arrived for BCP leader, Dumelang Saleshando and UDC’s Duma Boko to start the negotiations as time is not on their side. “We are not happy at the way things have been progressing as the Youth League.  We are worried because 2019 is around (the corner) and we are left with only a year to prepare for elections. So this delay will cost us,” cried Rakgare.

He called on Boko and Saleshando to start the talks without BMD. “This is not the time for waiting and we are frustrated as BCPYL. The party wrote to UDC that we are ready to start talks in November last year and we are approaching November and nothing has been done,” he lamented.

He also mentioned that they want open contest for positions.  “Incumbency will not take us anywhere and it is up to us to decide to give voters  a chance to vote someone they want,” noted Rakgare. “Do you want us to deny voters the people they want?” he asked, adding that BNF or BCP should come out and explain why the talks cannot start.

“Why are they silent on this issue?”On the recent failure of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi to be appointed Chairperson of African Union Commission, Rakgare said she should just quit to avoid embarrassing the country when voting opens again in January next year. “She should just quit because she does not have the credentials to replace the current Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Moitoi is just a puppet dancing to President Ian Khama just like other BDP cadres,” said Rakgare.Recently it was revealed that former President for Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete is vying for the position as AU Commission elections will be coming for the second time in January.