Friday, February 7, 2025

BNF solidarity message to BCP conference

Revolutionary greetings

-BCP President, Cde Dumelang Saleshando,

-Secretary General, Cde Kentse Rammidi,

-National Chairperson, Cde Motsei Rapelane,

-Women’s League President, Cde Daisy Bathusi

-BCP Youth League President, Cde Tebogo Molefe

-Members of the BCP Central Committee,

-Members of Parliament and councillors here present,

-Members of fraternal political formations within and outside Botswana,

-Trade Unions and other Civil Society Organisations,

-Comrade delegates,

-Ladies and gentlemen,

The Botswana National Front President Cde Gideon Duma Boko, his Central Committee and the general membership, brings great revolutionary and fraternal greetings to all BCP comrades in this house and beyond.

1. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has ruled this country for more than 50 years now and yet the majority of Batswana live in dehumanising poverty. The country has a small population of 2 million people and enough wealth for prosperity for everyone, and yet majority of Batswana live in dehumanising poverty. Botswana National Front calls upon all activists to step up their campaign strategies as we campaign for the 2019 general elections. As opposition political parties, we have this arduous duty to practically give hope to the toiling, poverty stricken and frustrated Batswana who are forever growing poorer in their rich country due to the bad governance they are subjected to by the BDP government.

2. If it was not for the flawed electoral system of First-Past-The-Post, the opposition parties could be in control of state power and government as they got 53% of the popular vote in the last 2014 general elections. Batswana have spoken that they don’t want the BDP to rule them. We should not relax and bask in the past 2014 glory, but we should now step up our campaigns in preparation for the 2019 general elections. Let us help each other and identify credible candidates that will bring victory for Batswana who are yearning for change.

3. The 2014 vote is a clear indication that Batswana have lost trust to the corrupt BDP government.

4. The BNF theme which was adopted last year here at this same place, was “ENSURING BNF UNITY NOW AND UDC VICTORY IN 2019”. We would like to call upon BCP that they should leave this place after this conference more united than ever, as this will ensure UDC victory in 2019. Be warned that victory will not come easy in 2019, and therefore, we should come out hard and straight.

5. We hope the BCP has long started the 2019 general election campaigns. There is no time to rest. We are facing a well resourced BDP which uses taxpayers’ money and other national resources to campaign against the opposition. Well organised and quality house to house campaigns should have started by now if we seriously want to win in 2019. An educated voter will not be easily bought by the BDP corrupt machinery, if we educate our voters and give them our options as a government in waiting. So comrades, let us focus and step up our campaigns for 2019.

6. Our messages to the voters should be clear at every given platform. We should sell our policies regarding job creation initiatives, education for production and self employment, labour and productivity, health, industrialisation, arts, culture & sports, etc. People would like to hear a consistent and organised message from the government in waiting. Rally presentations, jokes and comics should be characterised with our policies, programmes and plans. Our choir songs should carry lyrics of hope and the above policy frameworks. The poets, directors of ceremony, comedians, etc should all know that people want to hear serious policy stories and how we will positively change their lives. Our messages should therefore be properly packaged in line with UDC policies and manifestoes.

7. One of the greatest campaigns that we have to embark on is to fight and stop the Electronic Voting Machine from being used in the 2019 general elections. The BDP is hell bound to use this evil voting machine and their recent congress actually approved and endorsed its usage in the 2019 general elections. The BDP know very well that this is the only tool that can save them from losing the 2019 general elections. We should therefore fight with everything we have to stop this legalised ballot looting. We are afraid BDP is fanning and courting civil strife in this country through the forceful use of this machine, because Batswana have indicated that they don’t want it. Our message against EVM should be bold and clear.

We wish you a productive and successful 2017 conference! KGOLOLO!

VIVA BCP VIVA!

Thank you

DELIVERED ON BEHALF OF THE BNF CENTRAL COMMITTEE BY CDE JUSTIN HUNYEPA, BNF INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY.

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