Opposition Parties Snub BMD Proposed Meeting

  • Show no interest in being part of the meeting

SESUPO RANTSIMAKO

The Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) proposed meeting with other opposition parties may flop as the invited entities have shown no interest in honouring the invitation.

BMD president Nehemiah Modubule recently invited all opposition parties to a meeting scheduled for this coming Saturday.

However, with only two days before the date, not one party has shown any interest in participating.

Mandate

According to the invitation, the BMD’s mandate of the meeting is to discuss models for opposition cooperation and the type of issues to be discussed at more meetings from time to time.

While Modubule has told The Botswana Gazette that several parties have confirmed their attendance, it has come to light that not one party has done so.

The Secretary General of Botswana National Front (BNF), Ketlhalefile Motshegwa has actually confirmed his party’s non-attendance while leaders of the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) and the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), Biggie Butale and Motlatsi Molapise respectively, have expressed pessimism about the BMD-proposed meeting.

BPP may respond

Molapise told this publication that the BPP has not taken a position on the invitation and Butale said the BPF President may respond in the course of the week.

At the Alliance for Progressive, vice president Wynter Mmolotsi pleaded ignorance of the BMD invitation, saying the AP never received such a letter.

“We have never received the invitation letter in reference,” he said. “We only learnt about the proposed meeting from social media that there is that kind of letter.”

The Secretary General of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Goretetse Kekgonegile, referred The Gazette to the party’s publicity secretary, Dr Mpho Pheko, who did not answer her phone or respond enquiries sent to the phone.