15 Sep 2024

Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) is focused on preparing for the general election despite being dragged to courts of law by some of its members.

Briefing the media recently, BPF secretary general, Mr Lawrence Ookeditse said it was unfortunate that some party members were challenging the decision by the party leader in April to withdraw the party from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).

He said BPF would not be deterred by any legal battle or inner party disputes. 

He said some party members had filed a lawsuit against the party challenging the decision of the party president to overrule a congress resolution. 

The members also argue that the party leader should have called a special congress within three months to ratify the decision to withdraw from the UDC.

However, Mr Ookeditse denied any knowledge of the party constitution provision for a special congress to ratify any executive ruling by the party president. 

“There is no such clause in the constitution of the BPF that calls for the party president to assemble a special congress to ratify any decision taken by the national executive committee that rules over party congress resolutions,” he said.

Mr Ookeditse said it was the decision of the majority and was carried  out in the best interest of the masses. 

“As the party secretary general, I was among those who were against withdrawing from the UDC, but as a disciplined member of the party I had to respect the decision of the majority, that is part of inner party democracy,” Mr Ookeditse emphasised.

He said both the BPF and UDC had moved on and that UDC had already selected candidates in all constituencies that were reserved for them.

He also emphasised that they did not regard the UDC coalition parties as enemies as the parties had a common mission of regime change. “We need to understand that there are no permanent enemies in politics,” he said adding that the common enemy was the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

Mr Ookeditse said the BPF would contest the next general election under its ticket. He said the manifesto would also have an audio version to cater for the visually impaired. Ends