30 May 2016

Women should ensure that party structures remain functional if Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is to return to its yesteryear glory, national women’s wing chair Ms Dorcas Makgato has said.

Speaking at a sponsored walk organised by Molepolole South women’s wing, Ms Makgato who is also Minister of Health said with no structures in place, the party could not put up a convincing show during election time.

“As such party cells, branches and region must be alive all the time and leading in the recruitment drive. I also encourage you to take lead in defending the party and not think that it’s the duty of the leadership or some individuals,” she said. 

She said women should not be afraid to seek positions of power across all structures, adding that if more women could be part of the decision making structures, through that experience they could learn to be good leaders who will take the party to the next level.

Ms Makgato implored women not to shy away from being vocal on all national issues but to dominate in championing issues affecting the nation amongst others speaking against abuses of the girl and boy child.

On other issues, she said BDP women should be exemplary in taking advantage of government programmes more than any one since such ideas were the brain child of their party.

“Such programmes are geared towards empowering you and you must be a living proof that indeed such programmes are working,” said Makgato.

For their part local structure leadership said the sponsored walk was a show committing their collective resolve as women to turn around the performance of their party and wrestle back constituencies captured by opposition in the 2014 elections.

Veteran member Ms Morobi Tsiane said the march as a solidarity with their party by women, they have managed to revive old members who had felt left out by their party.

She encouraged all BDP women to rise to help grow the party by reviving local structures and to also seek positions of power with the party so as to have a say in decision making and the running of the party.

For her part nominated councilor for Molepolole North Ms Tshenolo Leshomo said women in the party have committed to rebuild BDP and grow membership base, embrace corporate social responsibility and ensure that the party has offices in all constituencies.

She said as a party there was need to profile young talent and nature such leadership skill. 

She encouraged women to engage in clean politics, abhor politics of hate, be able to learn from each other and tolerate others views. Ends