19 Mar 2017

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) president, President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama says there is need to ensure party structures are alive and fully functional.

Officiating at the 16th BDP National Women’s Wing congress themed "Empowered and United for 2019 #GoyaGoileng" in Muan on March 17, President Khama thus urged democrats to work extra hard to ensure they delivered on the obligations and election promises while working for party cohesion towards 2019 and beyond.

He said democrats had to ensure that every structure and member was challenged to ensure the pursuit to govern further for the next half century was achieved.

President Khama informed the gathering about structure building exercise undertaken by the party leadership with all the regions across the country saying, “as things stand, we have been to all the regions twice since the Mmadinare congress to hear first hand what your concerns and challenges are and we have embarked on a third round of these meetings.”

The response, he said was encouraging and urged party members to keep the spirit and momentum going.

He said the theme was apt as it reminded members that the party was gearing for 2019 and implored all to prepare for the coming crucial elections to ensure that all that was necessary for victory was done.

The women’s congress, the President said, served as continuation of tone setting for the BDP during the calendar year which would be filled with major party activities.

He commended women for their efforts towards achieving results for the party noting that early December last year, he had the opportunity to address the inaugural Women’s Wing General Assembly and considering that the congress came only a few months after the general assembly, was testimony of the drive in the women’s wing and the entire membership, which was in line with the aforementioned analogy of hard work towards 2019.

President Khama pointed out that after the two successive national events, women had demonstrated zeal in pursuit for another 50 years of BDP government.

Thus, he expressed hope that all women’s structures below the national Women’s Wings would emulate the same and replicate it throughout the country as that would ensure the party emerged the biggest winner above individual interests.

Historically, President Khama said, women had proven their determination towards volunteerism as they initiated most of the fund raising activities which had benefited the party immensely in the past, giving the High Tea Party event as an example.

He said such deeds were a voluntary service and thus implored all women to maintain the same spirit into the future.

“We owe it to our future generations to keep this spirit alive because those who came before us maintained the same for us,” he added.

President Khama further called for teamwork and support for those standing for elections, reminding them that with democratic elections, there was only one winner and appealed to those who did not make it to support the winners as per the will of the majority who trusted them with the mandate of the office.

To winners, he said reminded them that they represented all women in the BDP and not only the group that elected them. ENDS