- Rival factions disagree on compromise - Ramaotwana’s lobby agrees to compromise - Mohwasa’s lobby reject proposal
Signs of disunity are now showing within the Botswana National Front (BNF) ahead of its Congress on the 20-21 July 2025, in Palapye, which will among others, elect the Central Committee.
News emerging at Puo-Phaa, as the BNF is affectionately known, shows a party in disunity and might come out of the congress more divided. At the centre of the storm is the failure by the two rival lobby lists vying for positions over an alleged compromise proposal made by President Advocate Duma Boko.
One lobby is led by Minister for State President, Moeti Mohwasa who is vying for the Vice President position up against his challenger Nelson Ramaotwana Minister of Justice and Correctional Services.
It has since emerged that the key positions for contest are of VP and Secretary General, the latter pitting the incumbent Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, MP for Mmadinare also Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs against Specially Elected MP and Minister of Health, Dr Stephen Modise.
The tension and disagreements on the compromise proposal comes after a letter made to BNF members on the issue by secretary general Motshegwa.
“About two weeks back President Boko invited me to a meeting with him where among others he emphasised to me the importance of uniting BNF and consequently UDC.
He indicated that it is important for BNF not to be fragmented into antagonistic lobbies ahead of Congress, something that has potential to destabilise the BNF, UDC and by extension Government.
The President said he invited me to hear my view as a member of one of the lobbies and that he is engaging the other lobbies as well,” Motshegwa said in the letter.
According to Motshegwa, his immediate reaction was that he is agreeable to the proposal in the best interest of peace, stability of the party and Government, and “I urge all of us to rally behind this
wisdom.”
The minister stated that he will participate in this process of building consensus and consolidation of all lobbies into one lobby so that the BNF July 2025 congress will be focused on the policy posture of the party and the big message of UDC Government to Batswana on socio-economic issues facing this country.
“If in this compromise it means I should not stand for any position in the Central Committee, I will gladly do so in the best interest of harmony and stability of the party, because it is not about me, it is not about us in our individuality, it’s about the party, it’s about a strong Government that is stable to fulfil its promises to the people.
You will recall that I once did that when initially Mmadinare constituency was given to another party, I pledged to support whoever will be the candidate because in the party we should allow ourselves to be deployed by the people. The President has already indicated this to Central Committee.”
Motshegwa stated in the letter dated April 24th, 2025, that compromise is not a sign of weakness, it is not a posture of defeat, it must be seen and understood as thinking better, thinking bigger, political maturity and placing the organisation before self-interests.
Motshegwa’s letter has been met by mixed feelings with some of the BNF members agreeing to the proposal, but Mohwasa rejected the proposal.
According to leaked conversations from BNF’s Puo-Phaa WhatsApp Group and that of Team ‘Re aga Tempele-Re aga BNF’ (Lobby Support Group) show that the party members are not in agreement
with the said contents of the letter and the proposal by Adv. Boko.
At Puo-Phaa one member commented “My view is that if the Party President is of the view that a compromise will work for the party, we have to listen and consider that.
“And I think it will be wrong for anyone to suggest that anyone who is talking about a compromise somehow afraid of an election or that it’s a sign of weakness.
The UDC model itself is between the parties, is built on the principle of compromise. The UDC government, the power sharing, is built on compromise.”
The Lobby Support Group members have made it clear that they do not agree to the suggestion. They have made it clear that they want Motshegwa and team out of office.
They explained in the engagement that they want Motshegwa and Ramaotwana out of office and warned that if Team Mohwasa agrees to the compromise proposal, they will form another lobby list.
They further express concern that Ramaotwana’s team members have removed some of the BNF members in various social media groups. In the group Motshegwa is accused of agreeing to
compromise because he has noticed that the terrain is rough for him and he will lose.
The members indicated that if the lobby is to agree to the compromise proposal, they will have to convene again in Palapye and Serowe where their lobby conferences were held.
News emerging at Puo-Phaa, as the BNF is affectionately known, shows a party in disunity and might come out of the congress more divided. At the centre of the storm is the failure by the two rival lobby lists vying for positions over an alleged compromise proposal made by President Advocate Duma Boko.
One lobby is led by Minister for State President, Moeti Mohwasa who is vying for the Vice President position up against his challenger Nelson Ramaotwana Minister of Justice and Correctional Services.
It has since emerged that the key positions for contest are of VP and Secretary General, the latter pitting the incumbent Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, MP for Mmadinare also Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs against Specially Elected MP and Minister of Health, Dr Stephen Modise.
The tension and disagreements on the compromise proposal comes after a letter made to BNF members on the issue by secretary general Motshegwa.
“About two weeks back President Boko invited me to a meeting with him where among others he emphasised to me the importance of uniting BNF and consequently UDC.
He indicated that it is important for BNF not to be fragmented into antagonistic lobbies ahead of Congress, something that has potential to destabilise the BNF, UDC and by extension Government.
The President said he invited me to hear my view as a member of one of the lobbies and that he is engaging the other lobbies as well,” Motshegwa said in the letter.
According to Motshegwa, his immediate reaction was that he is agreeable to the proposal in the best interest of peace, stability of the party and Government, and “I urge all of us to rally behind this
wisdom.”
The minister stated that he will participate in this process of building consensus and consolidation of all lobbies into one lobby so that the BNF July 2025 congress will be focused on the policy posture of the party and the big message of UDC Government to Batswana on socio-economic issues facing this country.
“If in this compromise it means I should not stand for any position in the Central Committee, I will gladly do so in the best interest of harmony and stability of the party, because it is not about me, it is not about us in our individuality, it’s about the party, it’s about a strong Government that is stable to fulfil its promises to the people.
You will recall that I once did that when initially Mmadinare constituency was given to another party, I pledged to support whoever will be the candidate because in the party we should allow ourselves to be deployed by the people. The President has already indicated this to Central Committee.”
Motshegwa stated in the letter dated April 24th, 2025, that compromise is not a sign of weakness, it is not a posture of defeat, it must be seen and understood as thinking better, thinking bigger, political maturity and placing the organisation before self-interests.
Motshegwa’s letter has been met by mixed feelings with some of the BNF members agreeing to the proposal, but Mohwasa rejected the proposal.
According to leaked conversations from BNF’s Puo-Phaa WhatsApp Group and that of Team ‘Re aga Tempele-Re aga BNF’ (Lobby Support Group) show that the party members are not in agreement
with the said contents of the letter and the proposal by Adv. Boko.
At Puo-Phaa one member commented “My view is that if the Party President is of the view that a compromise will work for the party, we have to listen and consider that.
“And I think it will be wrong for anyone to suggest that anyone who is talking about a compromise somehow afraid of an election or that it’s a sign of weakness.
The UDC model itself is between the parties, is built on the principle of compromise. The UDC government, the power sharing, is built on compromise.”
The Lobby Support Group members have made it clear that they do not agree to the suggestion. They have made it clear that they want Motshegwa and team out of office.
They explained in the engagement that they want Motshegwa and Ramaotwana out of office and warned that if Team Mohwasa agrees to the compromise proposal, they will form another lobby list.
They further express concern that Ramaotwana’s team members have removed some of the BNF members in various social media groups. In the group Motshegwa is accused of agreeing to
compromise because he has noticed that the terrain is rough for him and he will lose.
The members indicated that if the lobby is to agree to the compromise proposal, they will have to convene again in Palapye and Serowe where their lobby conferences were held.
