The BNFYL has observed that the BCP activists and some BCP Central Committee members have been attacking and insulting the President of BNF Comrade Boko for implementing the resolutions of Tsabong Conference (July 2011) and BNF Central Committee (21/01/2012). The BNFYL also noted that some members of the BNF Executive Committee were indirectly partaking in these attacks.
The BNFYL noted that individual members of the BNF may organize themselves into temporary platforms to present their viewpoint to the rest of the membership (section 2.1 of the Constitution). Same must be done in a transparent and democratic manner without crystallizing into a faction meant to destabilize the BNF.
The BNFYL also noted that once individual members have been given a platform in BNF constitutional organs to present their views and majority rejects their viewpoint, the minority are obliged to implement the majority decisions regardless of whether they liked the outcome or not (see section 2.3 of the Constitution). The BNF is not a debating club. To this end, comrade Moupo’s book entitled “Introduction to Party Organization” at page 12-13 echoes section 2.3 of the BNF Constitution as follows:
“The adherence to the democratic principle necessarily has to be counter balanced with the need to preserve organizational cohesion of the party. The party programme and resolutions set the parameters within which members can take various positions. Anyone who in the name of democracy consistently articulate views which are against the party programme disqualifies himself/herself from membership and renders himself liable to expulsion (see section 37.4 of the BNF Constitution).
The party is also not a debating club, and cannot debate endlessly. At one point decisions have to be adopted and implemented. Once taken decisions are binding on even those who do not agree with them. In the implementation of such decision the party must act as one”.
It is on the basis of the above background that the BNFYL resolved to defend the BNF constitution and its President from consistent vitriolic attack by the BCP. Recognizing that the BNF Tsabong Conference mandated the Central Committee to pursue umbrella and indeed on the 21st January 2012, the BNF Central Committee directed the Executive to pursue umbrella after the collapse of the talks.
Any member of the Executive who seeks to review the decision of the Conference and Central Committee will be violating section 2.3 of the Constitution and liable for disciplinary hearing in terms of section 37.4 of the Constitution because the misconduct does not only offend section 13.10 of the Constitution but is detrimental to the interest and cohesion of the BNF. Section 13.10 compels the BNF Executive to implement the decisions, resolutions and directives of the Central Committee.
After thorough debate the BNFYL realized that the BNF Execute Committee has failed to implement resolutions and directives of the Central Committee, the BNFYL resolved as follows:
1.   That the President of the BNF should invoke his prerogative powers contained in section 19.3.1 as read with section 19.3.3 of the Constitution to take action against members of the Executive who continue to sabotage and/or refuse to implement the decisions of the BNF Central Committee or in the alternative empower any member of the BNF to perform the duties of the BNF or Central Committee pending the normalization of the Executive Committee.
2.   That the President and the BNF should continue with the opposition cooperation talks along the Umbrella model as mandated by the Tsabong Conference and confirmed by the Central Committee held on the 21st January 2012.
3.   That the President should invoke his prerogative powers if the need arises to convene a special congress to resolve the rampant indiscipline apparent in the BNF Executive or in the alternative the Central Committee may do so in the best interest of the BNF, whichever comes first.
4.┬á┬á That the BNFYL legal affairs Secretary, comrade Dumizweni Mthimkulu, should write a demand letter to Kagiso Ntime, telling him to surrender within seven (7) days from the receipt of the letter all the tickets or money relating to the fundraising of Kenneth Koma’s tombstone .
5.   To welcome comrade Malatsi Mokhubami to resume his Central Committee duties after the disciplinary committee has pardoned him.
6.   That the BNFYL issue a clarion call to all BNF members to defend the BNF Constitution and its President from enemy attack, especially the BCP.
7.   We call upon the BNF Executive members who have organized themselves into a clique (faction) to refrain from doing that and urgently commence to implement all resolutions of the BNF without equivocation, lest the President shall invoke his prerogative powers to dissolve the clique.
Lastly, the BNFYL and party stalwarts will hold a rally at the Gaborone bus rank on Wednesday (21/03/2012) at 4 pm to begin the journey to defend the BNF and its President from enemy attack. The public is invited to come in large numbers.
Yours in struggle
 
Tona Mooketsi
BNFYL President
