12 Jul 2018

Botswana Congress Party (BCP) will hold three main activities scheduled for President Holidays at Matshekge Hill School in Bobonong over the long weekend.

In an interview, BCP publicity secretary, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse said the activities would include a youth elective congress to be held tomorrow evening.

Tomorrow morning (July 14), he said the party would celebrate 20 years of existence having been formed in 1998 as well as the 90th birthday celebration of the party’s founding father and former leader, Dr Michael Dingake.

Mr Keorapetse, also Selebi Phikwe Member of Parlaiment stated that Dr Dingake celebrated the first birthday session in Robben Island and Cape Town early this month where he was joined by South Africa’s struggle icons.

The party conference, he said would commence on Sunday until Monday, adding that one of the things they would look into was the evaluation of the just held primary elections.

Mr Keorapetse said issues emanating from primary elections would be dealt with at the conference by party members.

Other issues he said would include the preparation for the 2019 general elections as well as the party’s status on the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).

Mr Keorapetse said since BCP joined UDC, ‘we have participated in the bye-elections together, attend National Executive Committee meetings and the conference would introspect on whether there is progress or not.”

For his part, the host constituency parliamentary aspirant, Mr Taolo Lucas said the party veterans and elderly villagers who grew up with Dr Dingake in Bobonong would be speakers at the birthday celebration.

Mr Lucas stated that the party would continue with the celebrations in the evening at the community hall while youth would be engaged in discussions at Matshekge the same evening.

He said Dr Dingake was a struggle icon who deserved recognition having been in Robben Island in South Africa for 15 years along struggle icon and former South Africa’s first black president, Mr Nelson Mandela.

Further, he stated that Dr Dingake would leave for South Africa on Sunday (July 15) to participate in the Nelson Mandela centenary celebrations Mr Lucas said Dr Dingake in Robben Island was said to be in the top hierarchy of prisoners where he wrote and disseminated the political literature among prison inmates to ignite the spirit of struggle.

Meanwhile, Botswana National Front will also hold its conference at Rakops Junior Secondary School from July 15-16.

Khwee councilor, Mr Slow Gobotswang said there would be reports from regions about the party’s progress, report from party president, secretary general and treasurer.

The conference he said was to check whether the party was making inroads in some constituencies and steam up the recruitment drive.

Mr Gobotswang said that the party would also draw a plan of action for 2019 general elections as well as mitigate challenges that emanated from the continuing primary elections.

He said they expected solidarity messages from other members of the UDC. ENDS