26 Jan 2016

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has welcomed 10 new members from opposition parties. 

The new members from Botswana Congress Party (BCP) are former BCP Southern Region secretary general, Mr Itumeleng Wanche and the former councillor for Kubung ward in Thamaga, Mr Lapologang Sebaka.

From the Botswana National Front (BNF) are Mr Tshepo Khan, Mr Olebile Khan, Mr Batsile Pelompe, Mr Richard Miller and Mr Kevin Keepilwe while from the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) are Mr Patikwe Mathibe from Letlhakane North, Mr Boineelo Dinokwane and Mr Kudakwashe Kwangu both from Molepolole North.

Addressing a BDP press conference to welcome the party’s newest recruits on Monday, BDP chairman and Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi expressed gratitude that the new recruits had vowed to work hard for the BDP.

“All that we are receiving today are activists. They are very politically charged, highly agile, mobile and effective. Tell me which serious political party or serious party chairman does not want that,” he said. 

Mr Masisi said the BDP was focused and united as ever and growing. He said the pace of BDP’s growth “will increasingly become less arithmetic and more exponential. Don’t say we didn’t tell you and don’t let the opposition claim we didn’t warn them because we are going to beat them. We are growing so that we beat them on every count, at every turn.” 

The Vice President also expressed gratitude that the party has enhanced diversity of membership. He said this must never be seen as recruitment by himself, or any one individual in the BDP, as the whole BDP machinery was working hard to recruit new members.

Mr Masisi urged BDP members to welcome new members with open arms and induct them into the party.

“An induction means taking them through the party constitution, procedures, calendar of events and activities, including requiring them to go and recruit even more new members. This is what we are talking about,” he explained.

Mr Masisi said the BDP recruited people on the basis and on the strength of its programmes and policies. 

“That is the basis of our recruitment of the people we recruit. We recruit people on the basis and the strength of our own value preposition. What we are, which we are comfortable with, and who we are. And as the confidence in us increases, particularly of the youthful people we would continue to recruit and get more members,” he added.

He explained that the BDP membership was opened to all, for as long as the person was disciplined, orderly and loyal. 

Every new year going forward, he said, the BDP would renew and refresh itself by acquiring more young people and many older persons. He pleaded with BDP members to be accommodating, stressing that BDP rules would always prevail and remain supreme. 

“Do not be intimidated by anybody coming. Do not be disturbed by any possibility of anyone of the new comers challenging any of us,” he said. 

He said the party has a primary election system which they respect. Any democrat who wins will be supported by the party. We are not about staying in positions, being greedy, being selfish, holding on to anything forever. We are all about the democratic processes.” 

Explaining why he left BCP to join BDP, Mr Wanche said he did not leave the BCP because of any mistreatment or oppression, but decided to join the BDP because he realised it was a visionary party. 

Mr Sebaka said he left the BCP because he did not receive any support from the party leadership. He also said he was attracted and impressed by Thamaga/Kumakwane MP and transport and communications minister, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo’s plans for the development of his constituency. 

 

Responding to whether the BDP was ready to talk about the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Margaret Nasha’s recent resignation from party, the party chairman said they were ready to talk about anything, but that it was not the subject of the press conference. “We’ve accepted her resignation, which was a formality of something that happened long ago.” Ends