26 Feb 2025

Botswana Democratic Party (BD)P has rescheduled its National Elective Congress which was earmarked to be held during the July long weekend in Maun.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, BDP President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the Central Committee decided to move the congress to an earlier date to be communicated in due course.

“The Central Committee will meet with the host region to finalise the exact date for the national  elective congress, but I can assure all democrats that the congress will be at an earlier time than the initially proposed July date,” Dr Masisi said.

 He said key on the congress agenda would be the election of a new party leadership.   

“The current Central Committee’s term is soon coming to an end and it is only fitting for it not to be engaged in any futuristic projects. It is rather only fair for the incoming leadership to be allowed enough time to map a  way  forward,” he said.  

Dr Masisi indicated that BDP members in good standing with the intent to content for any position in the Central Committee were at liberty to launch their campaigns but cautioned that such campaigns should be done within the confines of the BDP constitution.

“As we kickstart the Central Committee positions campaigns, it is of great importance for all contestants and delegates to familiarise themselves with the BDP constitution, in an effort to ensure that unity prevails pre and post the congress,” he said. He tsaid the forthcoming congress would not just be a routine procedure but  rather testament to the party’s commitment to democracy and its adaptability in the face of evolving political currents.

Following a humiliating defeat in the past  general elections, Dr Masisi stated that the congress  would  be a perfect platform for party members to  lick their  wounds and regroup  with the intent to  launch  a  powerful comeback in the 2029  general election. He said the BDP remains the biggest single party in the country with the biggest single block of  votes  as per the  last general elections. “The  strength of the party must never be underestimated, we might have come out of the past general elections thin at the national assembly and council seat representation, but those are the consequences of the  first  past the  post  system , which the BDP strongly believes in,” he said.

He pleaded with BDP members to remain united and revive all party structures in effort to rebuild the party for the future. ENDS