In what could be a tell tale sign of the times, Botswana Democratic Party members are defaulting on their membership fees, plunging the ruling party into an unprecedented financial crisis. Sunday Standard investigations have turned up information that the BDP is so broke that it is struggling to pay staff salaries.
The situation is so serious that staff members boycotted work due to unpaid salaries while others threatened to take the party to the industrial court over unpaid salaries dating more than three months. The party was recently forced to approach sympathetic businesses with a begging bowl to raise money for the day to day operations of Tsholetsa House.
Most BDP members who traditionally vote with their wallets are believed to be unhappy with the goings on at the party and are now defaulting on their membership fees.
BDP spokesperson Kagelelo Kentse admitted that the party recently had financial difficulties and could not pay staff salaries. He however said they recently raised money from donations to pay staff salaries.
“Just like all other political parties, we depend on membership fees to raise money to run the party on a day-to-day basis. When members struggle to pay their membership fees, the party also gets affected,” said Kentse.
He further said from time the party faces financial difficulties prompting them to appeal for donations.
“We always try by all means to raise funds to cater for staff salaries and I must say that even when we take donations as the party, we do that carefully to ensure that whoever wants to donate to the BDP understands the terms of engagement,” said Kentse.
He also said although the party has just recovered from financial woes, they are still open to any donations. Sunday Standard sources revealed that some BDP staff members recently resigned from Tsholetsa House because they were worried about their job security as the party struggled to pay their salaries. Kentse, however played down the situation saying,
“I can confirm to you that those who left Tsholetsa house basically left due to different reasons but not over unpaid salaries and on top of that we had to look for finances to pay their terminal benefits,” said Kentse.
He indicated that despite recent financial struggles, all is in full swing at Tsholetsa house.
“We cannot always tell people where we get our money and like I said there are so many ways we raise money. In this case, I cannot tell where we got the money,” said Kentse.
According to sources at Tsholetsa house, staff members recently spent days away from the office as an indication of a boycott.
Information reaching this publication is that this is not the first time that the party has struggled to pay staff wages but in previous times, the delay in paying salaries was brief.
It has also been reported that one of the disgruntled members intends to approach the courts outstanding payments.
BDP financial constraints come at a time when some staff members have since resigned allegedly over an ongoing internal audit exercise.
It is reported that the party has been sitting on issues relating to mismanagement of party funds and challenges with Bulela Ditswe.
