07 Oct 2015

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) will hold a leadership consultative meeting that will comprise elected councillors and Members of Parliament.

Party chairman, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said at a press briefing in Gaborone on Tuesday (October 6) that the meeting will give attendants an opportunity to share content of what each was doing, challenges faced and issues of national concern such as water shortage in the country.

He said the meeting would help party members to understand each other because they come from different districts with varying challenges and that ministers would be present to answer grievances of their colleagues.

Mr Masisi, who is also the Vice President, said the party would also hold a special congress in the afternoon until Saturday  to continue with unfinished business from Mmadinare. He said the Mmadinare congress was not completed to the satisfaction of delegates, hence they resolved to avail a chance to engage further.

He said President Lt Gen.Seretse Khama Ian Khama would be in attendance, and that the agenda of the congress would include the President’s speech that was delivered at Mmadinare as well as the report of the former chairman and secretary general.

Mr Masisi further said they would discuss the outcome of the recent council bye-election in Lobatse that was retained by the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). He said they lost the bye-election due to voter trafficking by their opponents.

He said BDP investigations have revealed that 400 voters were trafficked into Boswelatlou for the bye-election.

On other issues, the BDP has disassociated itself from claims that the party was seeking a coalition with Botswana Congress Party (BCP).

The party’s communications chairperson, Mr Thapelo Pabalinga said the reports on the Weekend Post dated October 3-9 were false, mischievous and deliberately meant to mislead the party and the public.

He said there has never been a discussion at the central committee or any party structure about the BDP pushing for a coalition with the BCP. Mr Pabalinga said the party’s secretary general, Mr Botsalo Ntuane has never given Weekend Post an interview on the matter and distances himself from the article. Ends