BCP to run solo in 2024 general elections
19 Jul 2023
Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has resolved to run solo in the 2024 general elections.
This was revealed by BCP leader, Mr Dumelang Saleshando at the end of the party congress in Tutume on Monday.
“Our resolution is clear, the congress party has decided, after taking into consideration all views of the leadership that we will be going into 2024 general elections not under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)” Mr Saleshando said.
He thus encouraged all BCP councillors and Members of Parliament to tell party members about the resolution.
“We have a fight in our hands as BCP but we are blessed for we have men and women that came forward. Even if it is less than 12 months to the election, let us decide on our future as BCP,” he said.
He also challenged them to fight for the democracy that they wanted to see prevail in the country.
With the party’s primary elections coming next month, Mr Saleshando appealed for fairness among aspiring candidates and those that would be tasked to facilitate the process.
“Action will be taken against those that will be conflicted in the process,” he warned.
Mr Saleshando said having resolved to run solo in the next general elections, Batswana now had a choice to vote for the BCP to save the country or the current government and continue to face old struggles.
“The choice is in the hands of Batswana to either choose to go with the current government which fails to meet their needs or to go with an opposition party aligned to the former president,” he said.
The BCP leader accused the current government of failing to avail the much needed resources to Batswana, saying ‘schools are running without resources, hospitals are without drugs but tenders are awarded to the friends of the ruling party who fail to supply.’
Meanwhile, he said that while he might have, at some point, shared a table with the former president, Lt Gen. Ian Khama, that did not mean he would accept having a government that would follow old traits.
“As the congress party, we are taking a stand to save Botswana from the downfall spiral that is currently being seen by Batswana. The BCP stands for democracy and we do not want be associated with poor governance which Batswana are faced with,” he said.
He added that going along with an opposition aligned to a former president who had done Batswana wrong by his decisions would not make sense.
“All these struggles being experienced by Batswana, it is the former president’s doing and it is about to come to an end if Batswana can take a stand to support the ‘Save Botswana’ slogan coming with the congress party. They will see change in their country,” Mr Saleshando said. Ends
Source : BOPA
Author : Goitsemodimo Williams-Madzonga
Location : TUTUME
Event : Political rally
Date : 19 Jul 2023