Serame cautions women against lawlessness in the BDP

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Women’s Wing will be touring the entire country and holding meetings and workshops at regional level to train women on how to campaign.The organ’s chairperson, Peggy Serame who is also Specially Elected Member of Parliament told a meeting of the BDP Women’s Wing in Francistown on Saturday that one of the objectives of the tour would be to empower women to be able to face men in the party primary elections with confidence.Serame is not happy that although nationally women outnumber men, women lack representation in the political arena and urged women to support fellow women candidates.“While out there (tour), we will meet the other party structures,” Serame said, adding that other workshops will be held after the primary elections to prepare the lady candidates for the general elections.She suggested that those who can, must research online and empower themselves with the ability to campaign.Meanwhile, Serame, who is also the first female Minster of Finance and Development Planning, is not happy with the kind of information churned out by social media as it is distorted and often misleading.“Do not rely on social media for news relating to your party or government. You know where to find the right information. Some among us have got the tendency to pick false and misleading content from social media concerning your party.“Instead of cross-checking with the party to get the truth, you go around spreading it to the detriment of the party and its government. You must first look for the truth before sharing that piece of information with anyone,” Serame advised.Her view is that it is BDP cadres who sometimes give the BDP a bad name by sharing misinformation with other people. She also chided disorderly and ill-bred party members who, instead of observing party rules, regulations and tradition, expect the party to bend to their interests and desires.“Such people act as if they are bigger than the party. They expect the party to change its processes to accommodate their caprices. They become the law and when the party takes action against them, they cry foul accusing it of persecuting them.”She said they must know that in as much as there is democracy in the BDP, there are also rules and regulations in any organisation which have to be followed religiously.The Women’s Wing leader added that campaigning before the party announces the primary election date is an undesirable practice which must stop.She emphasised the need to be compliant with the party rules and regulations, further cautioning against factionalism.“If you go out of your way to frustrate those not in your faction, what do you think will happen? We need to understand that it is the party that comes first,” she advised.

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Serame cautions women against lawlessness in the BDP