29 Jun 2022

Botswana Democratic Party chairman, Mr Slumber Tsogwane says the party’s primary elections, dubbed Bulela ditswe, have not been set aside. 

Addressing democrats during Kweneng West regional congress, in Molepolole on Sunday, Mr Tsogwane advised that regional leadership should take mandate from lower structures of the party on consensus candidates for both council and parliament prior to bulela ditswe. 

Mr Tsogwane said the lower structures should be consulted to avoid objections from other party members, adding that only after having exhausted the internal process, should communication be made to the central committee in the form of a resolutions by regional structures, specifying who would represent a particular constituency. 

On other issues, the party chairman cautioned democrats to desist from sowing seeds of discord within the party, but rather to rally behind the leadership for party unity. 

He further implored them to understand the party’s performance over the years so as to remind themselves why they were given the mandate to govern. 

“It is very important to understand why the BDP won the 2019 general elections with a landslide victory,” he said, reminding them that the victory meant a lot of things that should not be taken lightly. 

In addition, he said, the electorates believed in the BDP manifesto, hence it was important that the party delivered on the promises. 

Mr Tsogwane said attaining victory in the 2024 general elections was dependent on how they fared in this five-year term. 

He thus urged BDP members to clearly communicate the party’s achievements in every platform. 

“You must participate in all party processes and formulate policies and amend them in the interest of Batswana,” he stressed. 

Meanwhile, the vice president acknowledged that although COVID-19 negatively impacted the economy, that had not stopped the party from delivering on  promises. 

He cited the Economic Recovery Transformation Plan (ERTP) and the Reset Agenda as some of the programmes had government put in place to move the country forward. 

For his part, Molepolole South MP and minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng concurred with the party chairman, buttressing the importance of party unity in all structures. 

He appealed to democrats to  adhere to processes as stipulated in the party’s constitution in order to take it to greater heights. 

Mr Morwaeng also pleaded with members to respect the President as well as all elected party leadership, to restore the dignity of the party. ENDS