Botswana National Front (BNF) is being accused of going back on its promise to women within the party who had shown an interest to run for political positions.
Earlier this year, the BNF Central Committee (CC) took a decision to push for its women to represent it in public office positions. However, according to insiders within the BNF, this has not been the case.
According to sources within the BNF, the party constitution provides for a 30 percent dispensation for women in positions of power within the party and to run for political office hence the Central Committee resolution earlier this year to make way for women.
It is said that this clause and the CC’s resolution that pushed for women empowerment was neglected at the UDC negotiation table, as the wards that women showed interest in were traded off to contracting partners.
Moreover, it is said that BNF women candidates were facing men at primary elections and in most cases they lost due to the power and gender dynamics found within the BNF.
“Women wrote to the CC asking for clarity but the secretary general failed to answer them,” the source said.
The women wanted to know how the resolution of 30 percent inclusion of women will be implemented and the CC is yet to answer them.
It is alleged that the CC said the women who want to run for political office should bring the number of people they registered during the national registration period.
This request came as a surprise to women within the party as it is deemed prejudicial since it is common belief that when registering people for general elections it’s not for personal benefit but for the greater benefit of the party. This has left women in the BNF feeling disregarded as the BNF failed to fulfil the promises made to them.
According to the BNF Women’s League President, Katlego Morolong, one cannot determine if the 30 percent quota has been reached as the elections within the party are still ongoing. She however noted that the CC is yet to meet over the disgruntled members of the BNF.
BNF Chairperson Patrick Molutsi explained that there are challenges that the BNF is facing in reaching its 30 percent quota for women representation. He said that some of the challenges stem from the fact that some men do not want to yield for women comrades to run unopposed, and women do not come forward easily as compared to men.
Molutsi said that the patriarchal society has made it harder for people to yield to what the BNF is pushing for.
However, Molutsi did not answer allegations laid against the CC by the BNF women, choosing to instead refer this publication to the Secretary General, who did not answer his phone at the time of going to print until press time.
