The Botswana Congress Party Youth League (BCPYL) has noted with concern recent developments in Parliament which resulted in a hung opposition and a consequent vacancy in the Leader of Opposition’s office. The state of affairs in Parliament emanates from Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) Members of Parliament change of political allegiance from their respective parties to the newly registered Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). The status quo, in which there is no LOO, is regrettable, ill-timed and detracts in particular form Botswana’s already regressing democracy.
The opposition is already constrained in terms of numerical strength in Parliament, lack access to resources and operates in an unfriendly milieu of policies and laws made by the ruling party. The executive is haughty and refuses to account to parliament. The vacancy in the LOO will exacerbate the aforementioned existing unfavourable condition for the opposition. The BCPYL is appealing to all BCP members to exercise restraint and focus on the BCP’s strategic political objectives. The BCP priorities, which members should focus on, are to deliver on the electoral promises made to the electorate, to hold the ruling BDP and government accountable and to present alternative ideas, policies and or alternatives.
The BCPYL, notwithstanding what transpired in Parliament, Francistown City Council and Kgateng District Council, where agreements were not honored by other parties, encourage the party, especially councilors, to honor existing agreements with other opposition parties in councils.
Accordingly we appeal to our elected representatives to honor the agreement in the Gaborone City Council in which the opposition controls the council. We encourage all our elected representatives in councils and parliament to articulate the BCP position on contemporary issues on the economy, democracy and governance and other bread and butter issues and not to be destructed by recent developments. We wish to thank Honorable Dumelang Saleshando for his incisive, dynamism and visionary leadership he exhibited during his short stint in the LOO. His cogent articulation of issues as LOO unsettled the BDP and our detractors at large; they couldn’t wait to see him out of the office, not considering democracy and or public interest. The BCPYL wishes to reiterate that the BCP is a political force to reckon with and the only viable alternative government to the corrupt, indifferent and bereft of ideas BDP.
Dithapelo Keorapetse
President, BCPYL
73820700/75048833
