STATEMENT : On 15th June 2021, we received a WhatsApp message from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)’s Head of Communications reminding members of the UDC National Executive Committee (NEC) that the UDC President will address a Press Conference on Monday 21st June 2021. The message further stated that the President will be accompanied by the Vice President and the National Chairperson.
It emerged that the decision to hold a Press Conference was taken at the NEC meeting held in Mahalapye on the 10th June 2021, which the BCP was scheduled to attend virtually but could not as the host sent the link for the meeting very late. At the time of announcing the Press Conference, the resolutions of the meeting of the 10th June 2021 had not been communicated to members of NEC who were not in attendance. Nor was the Vice President contacted to confirm his availability before the advertisement was circulated.
The issues to be discussed at the Press Conference have not been shared with the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). Our attempt to solicit these have to date been ignored.
The BCP wishes to state that it is not proper for the party to hold a Press Conference before the leadership has discussed and agreed on the issues to be shared with the press.
At the very least, the President should have confided in his Deputy, who is also the President of the BCP, regarding the issues to be addressed at the Press Conference.
For these reasons, the BCP proposed that the planned Press Conference be postponed to a later date to allow party leaders to meet and agree on what UDC needs to do for its own internal stability and for the good of the nation. The UDC Chairperson, who is also the President of the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP), also made a similar proposal. However, the suggestions were rejected by the UDC President, Comrade Duma Boko.
It is against this background that the BCP is unable to attend the Press Conference to be addressed by the UDC President on the morning of 21st June 2021.
Kesitegile Gobotswang BCP Vice President