The two key leaders of the Umbrella for Democratic change, Duma Boko and Ndaba Gaolathe have recently spent a few days in South Africa with Botswana Congress Party’s Dumelang Saleshando as part of their ice breaking moves ahead of sticky negotiations involving the two parties ÔÇô UDC and the BCP.
Sources from both the BCP and the UDC have confirmed the informal outing by the three leaders happened away from the often distractive influence of party members.
Nothing concrete was discussed in the few days that the three spent in South Africa.
It was all about confidence building and allowing each of the three to learn to relax in each other’s presence.
The meeting, up to now a closely guarded secret was organized by a close knit circle of aides for the three leaders .
A source familiar with the sojourn across the border says the three leaders spent time playing games together, talking about each other’s past time interests without any mention of politics that would most certainly stultify the conversation.
BCP has recently had to undergo a tumultuous and perhaps most challenging phase in its entire history as a result of internal resistance against reaching out to the UDC.
BCP received a huge drubbing in the 2014 General Elections, which the party had insisted on contesting outside any alliance with other opposition parties.
Even the party leader lost his constituency ÔÇô Gaborone Central that he had hitherto held for ten years.
Saleshando, sources say has come back from South Africa a converted man.
Insiders say it is now beyond doubt that following the time the he spent away from the ever present self-aggrandizement influence of ordinary followers he now has wholly bought and embraced the idea of BCP joining the UDC.
