03 Dec 2017

The welfare of the ruling party has a direct influence on programmes and policies of the government aimed at improving livelihoods of Botswana.

Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) secretary general, Mr Mpho Balopi said in an interview with the media on the sidelines of a closed door BDP SHOMA (Shoshong and Mahalapye) region meeting addressed by President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama in Mahalapye on Friday that the wellbeing of the ruling party must be nurtured for the benefit of the nation. Mr Balopi said President Khama had resolved to address a series of party regional meetings with the view of reviving party structures in preparation for the coming general elections.

He said teamwork, unity and sharing of ideas were key principles that kept the party relevant.

Mr Balopi said the BDP must be exemplary in nation building and that it took a united and dedicated workforce to sell the party to the people. Through regional meetings, Mr Balopi said President Khama engaged party members and encouraged them to work hard and continue to lure new members to the party.

He said the party was focused on recruiting as many as possible members from opposition parties and registering new ones not aligned to any political movement.

We appeal to them to continue recruiting members from the opposition parties, he added.

Mr Balopi said the BDP strong recruitment drive was paying dividends as evidenced by two opposition party Members of Parliament in Messrs Bagalatia Arone and Isaac Davids ditching opposition camps to join the BDP.

He said besides rejuvenating party structures at regional level, President Khama had appealed to party members to share ideas that would help win the trust of the masses and cement the BDP government to the throne.

Mr Balopi said the gatherings were not only meant to benefit the BDP, but also focused on encouraging party structures to work on nurturing principles of democracy.

He said based on the undesirable activities taking place within opposition parties, it was evident that democratic principles would only survive under the BDP rule.

Mr Balopi said a government that served its people accordingly would ultimately uphold the rule of law and nourish democracy.

“We will do away with whatever is aimed at tarnishing our democracy and ensure that Batswana continue to benefit from BDP programmes,” he said.
Mr Balopi said members were advised to be innovative and come up with creative ideas that would help the party to improve.

On other issues, Mr Balopi said the BDP decided to cancel party primary elections that were scheduled for October 21 in all constituencies currently in the hands of the opposition to pave way for a legal battle regarding involvement of public servants in party activities.

He however, added that since the issue was put to rest by the court of law, the first batch of the party primary elections would be rescheduled for early 2018 on a date yet to be set after consulting with party members.

Mr Balopi said actively involving public servants in political parties’ activities had the possibility of jeopardising objectivity in service delivery.

He said instead of focusing whole heartedly in serving members of the public regardless of party association, the move was likely to dilute and cloud their actions with the possibility of prompting bias towards those they were not associated with at political party level. Ends