23 Jul 2015

Botswana National Front (BNF) leader, Mr Duma Boko, has commended party members for their unwavering support, despite having gone through periods of cyclical instability.

Speaking during the official opening of the party’s conference in Good Hope over the holidays, he said many party members rejected the idea of opposition unity and the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and surrendered themselves to other parties.

He said many others thought the party was dying, adding that some members took the party leadership to court and suffered crushing legal blows.

He said although the court battles were a distraction and a waste of time and resources, they afforded the party the unique opportunity to clear all lingering doubts regarding  actions of the BNF leadership. Mr Boko said other party members took decisive actions to safeguard the BNF and defend it against all odds.

“I salute your dedication, your determination and your courage,” he said. He commended BNF  members for their discipline and commitment to the cause that binds the party to others in the UDC. He implored them to engage in critical reflection and interrogation in order to stay true to their principles.

Mr Boko said the party was at its most stable state as it went into the general elections in 2014 as a united and focused movement. He added that the BNF played a sterling role in shaping the UDC and its consolidation in the face of challenges it faced.

He criticised murmurs from certain quarters that the success of the UDC signaled the death of the BNF.

He said the BNF remains committed to opposition unity so as to effect regime change. He said while challenges were many and intense, everything about the present government has been a failure.

He said corruption remains rampant and that there was no action to combat it. He said the country was also plagued by high levels of income inequality. Mr Boko said their task was to present a credible organisation that was ready to take power in 2019.

“UDC remains the answer as we accept unity and aim to embrace change,” he said. Ends