Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) Youth League has called on the party’s President Sidney Pilane to step down, a letter leaked to the media has revealed.
In a letter addressed to the BMD National Working Committee, the league states that “as the youth league we have met and suggest that President Mk Pilane step aside and let somebody carry on with the presidency with immediate effect.”
The letter states that “this will enable him build his reputation politically that has been damage and to build public confidence on the movement and the UDC at large.”
Commenting on the letter, BMDYL President Randy Mpata said the letter purportedly addressed to the mother body was leaked by one of the members of the youth league to the media to humiliate Pilane.
“The purpose of the meeting (in which the letter was drafted) was meant to discuss the current state of the BMD and its relations with the UDC and to try and see if we could call for a meeting with the BNF, BCP, BPP youth leagues as well as Moono wa Baithuti to broker peace between the UDC contracting partners,” he said.
“The idea to call for Adv Sidney Pilane to step down from the parties(sic) presidency was not part of the agenda. It was done to fullfill the interests of a few individuals for their own selfish ends,” he said.
Mpata added that “I asked to be excused from attending the meeting yesterday because of my tight schedule, and so all this was done and agreed to without my consent.
He said “The BMD exists in a democratic setting were freedom of expression is at the core of our foundation, any conversation about who should step down is allowed but there has to be a constructive debate on the said matter and win each other over through superior logic and not on the basis that one is not sellable or appealing to people.”
According to Mpata “It is unfair and undermining the efforts and contributions Adv Sidney Pilane has made to the BMD. We know that the letter was leaked deliberately by one of us as an attempt to draw division and humiliate the Adv Sidney Pilane.”
