The Botswana National Front would like to put into perspective a number of issues which if not responded to might create false impressions about the organization and how it functions. These statements have been appearing in the papers as a result of the intense lobbying and campaigning for the different positions particularly in the youth league central committee elections which will be held at the end of May, about a month and a half before the main central committee congress in July.
We have to start off by saying that the expectation, tradition and culture of the organization necessitates that the lobbying be done within the structures and that such lobbying should be comradely. Section 2.1 of the party constitution states that, “ the BNF is a progressive popular democratic movement that embraces within itself diverse political and ideological tendencies whose unifying platform is the Social Democratic Programme…..Individual members may organize themselves into temporary groupings, tendencies or platforms for the purpose of persuading other members to adopt their point of view, provided however that such temporary groupings or tendencies shall use normal democratic methods for campaigning for their ideas and shall operate in an open and transparent manner, provided further that such tendencies shall not crystalize into more or less exclusive factions which counterposes themselves to the rest of the party and destabilize it.”
Election of new members of the party is one of the many programmes of the party and in an elective congress form part of the Congress Resolutions. Lobby lists emerge in the build up to any congress and the expectation is that after the congress the lobbying will cease and support will be given to the new leadership. Failure to accept and recognize them will be an indication of disorder and lack of cadre discipline. The constitution of the party further states in section 2,.3 that “the minority shall be bound by the majority provided however that the minority shall have the right to democratically lobby for its views in a manner that does not undermine the unity of the movement.” This is the basis for Democratic Centralism which is clear that before a decision is made, members are allowed to air their views, regardless of how flawed, weak misleading the argument could be. But once a decision has been made, the majority position should be followed. The party Code of Discipline amongst other objectives seeks to give concrete form to the principle of criticism and self criticism, which is central to the democratic process in the BNF, also outlaws existence of factions in the party. Section 3.2.11 outlaws participation in organized factional activity that goes beyond the recognized norms of free debate inside the organization and threatens its unity. Section 3.2.15 states as an offence the formation of cliques, cabals or factions within the party. To assist where loopholes exist, the party also has in place Regulations for Central Committee Elections. These regulations regulate the leagues and the main central committee elections of the BNF.
Having given the above background, we would like to zero in on the statements raised recently in the media. Cde Kago Mokotedi recently launched his manifesto in his appeal to the youth members to vote for him. He proposes two policies which have caused consternation in some sections of society and the party. He proposes that private schools be abolished and that there be expropriation of land without compensation. As a democratic society we should be tolerant of other opinions even those that we despise. The policies could be toxic in one’s estimation, but that is what democracy is all about. To us these are just proposals or ideas. They do not constitute the official position of the BNF nor the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Cde Kago Mokotedi has a right to air his views and these cannot be taken away from him. The only problem is the platform where these views were expressed. Our members should use properly constituted party forums for campaigns. In any case it is the structures who are charged with the deployment mandate. We have regrettably noted that there has been flagrant disregard for the party norms, culture, principles, morality by both groups in the youth league campaigns and we urge the contestants and their supporters to immediately retrace their steps to familiarize themselves with the Party Constitution, Party Code of Discipline, Regulations for Central Committee Elections and other relevant party literature for guidance.
In a recent article in the Weekend Post it is suggested that campaigns for both youth league and the main central committee will be conducted along what to us are clearly factional lines. Some members of the party are running to the papers to have what are essentially internal party matters written in the papers. This is wrong and those who engage in such behavior should stop this practice. The article alleges that the party is now seemingly being divided into two groups which resemble factionalism. One faction led by Cde Shawn Nthaile faction and the other by Mohwasa. This, the article alleges, will guide the voting pattern in the youth and the main Central committee elections. It is regrettable that such serious allegations are carried in the paper without soliciting the comments of those mentioned or making an attempt to test the allegations. Those members who spread such gossip are malicious to the core and should be reprimanded in the strongest possible terms. We believe that the youth should decide who should lead them without any input or influence of the older members of the party. The incoming central committee should not allow itself to be a proxy of some older members of the party. Such conduct on the part of the older members of the party breeds factionalism and takes away the independence of the youth. The Central Committee at its recent sitting mandated Cde Tapiso Kgosikoma (Secretary General), Cde Kwenantle Gaseitsiwe (Secretary for International Affairs) and Cde Motshwariemang Kesiilwe (Secretary for Health) to assist the youth in the preparations for the congress and deal with any related issues that may arise. So these are the only people who should deal with youth issues between now and the youth congress in May. After the youth congress, the lobby groups should disband and should go to the July Congress guided by merit in their selection of candidates for different positions. Idle gossip, character assassination and personal recriminations and vendettas, as the code of discipline states should not be embraced and those who do will be behaving in a manner that is anti-BNF.
BNF Information and Publicity Secretary
