- Say UDC failing to address concerns
- Central committee to determine whether they submit or not
- BPP pending issues yet to be resolved
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
FRANCISTOWN: The Botswana People Party (BPP) is yet to determine whether it should submit the names of its four representatives who will be in the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
While end of September is the deadline for the BPP to submit its four representatives at UDC NEC, its leader Motlatsi Molapise says they are not bothered nor in a hurry to submit the names as other pending issues are still to be addressed by the UDC leadership. BPP has not been attending UDC meetings since it has not yet elected representatives for the UDC’s NEC. Though he was not in a position to reveal the elected names, Molapise pointed out that the four representatives were long elected but were not submitted as there are pending issues they need addressed by the UDC. “I can confirm that we have long elected the four representatives needed by the UDC but were unable to submit their names due to failure by the leadership to address our concerns,” Molapise to The Botswana Gazette.
However, UDC President Duma Boko has told the media that they are waiting for the BPP to submit their names before the end of September. Recently during the announcement of UDC’s verdict on warring BMD factions, Boko stressed that BPP had requested to be given until end of September to elect and submit the names of their representatives.
Some of the demands the BPP put to the UDC include the request to be allocated additional constituencies and the query over the informal inclusion of Botswana Congress Party (BCP) in the opposition coalition. “We hoped that our concerns would be addressed before the end of September but it seems like our issues will never be considered. We tried to engage the UDC leadership, especially Boko but he never bothered to respond to us. We still have pending issues that need to be addressed. But we are planning to meet in October to make a determination on this issue,” revealed Molapise who is also UDC Chairman.
Molapise expressed the disappointment with BPP critics, saying most of them are not aware of the ill-treatment his party is getting from UDC leadership. “People are busy insulting us while they do not understand our bone of contention but one day they will come to their senses and recall what we were fighting for was valid,” he said, noting the BPP central committee will map the way forward.