03 Jul 2017

Physical confrontations and intolerance have never been part of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) culture and tradition, says Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Mr Masisi advised that physical confrontations and intolerance should be shunned by democrats if the party was to continue to be the only alternative to the development agenda of Botswana.

Addressing BDP members in Molepolole recently, he said mudslinging and character assassinations should never be allowed to pollute the political tolerance and unity which has become the corner stone of BDP successes over many years.

Mr Masisi said vulgar language has never been part of BDP politics, and that the party was worried of reports of physical confrontations between members.

He said such incidents polluted the political climate.

He said if BDP activists continued to exhibit behaviour which had been common in opposition politics they risked not only exposing party unity, but also risked derailing the party from outperforming the opposition in 2019.

He said those elected into positions of power must know that they served at the behest of the membership.

He added that if stability was to be realised, members should not give positions of power to reward, but rather to elect individuals who would selflessly serve the party and Batswana without expecting benefits in the end.

He said as the party chairperson, his team was committed to turning around the 2014 elections  and wrestle back all constituencies in opposition control to BDP.

He said the task would be successful if the party faithful worked together as a team and not factions.

He said the BDP had been successful because of its political culture where those given positions of power enjoyed unwavering support from all party structures.

He added that it included the succession plan where the incumbent vice president assumed the presidency when the term of the incumbent ended.

He implored this month’s congress delegates to remember that they should double as party campaigners for the 2019 general elections as well as educators in the party manifesto.

He also added that they must stand ready to report back to the structures on the congress discussions.

For his part, Kweneng District Council chairperson, Mr Geoffrey Sibisibi said the meeting was to resuscitate and reinvigorate party structures in preparation for the coming elective congress.

He said in the current moment of opposition threat and the push to annihilate the BDP, it was in the best interests of the BDP to elect into office individuals who had proven themselves than risk staring afresh with untested ones.

He said it would be suicidal for the party to give leadership to members still struggling to fend off opposition parties from their constituencies compared to those who had asserted themselves and gained ground in their constituencies.

Mr Sibisibi said the BDP was the only alternative which Batswana looked up to in transforming their livelihoods saying it had been possible because the party was united through a political culture  and tradition entrenched by the founding leadership. ENDS