The Botswana Congress Party Youth League (BCPYL) wishes to thank its members for their congress resolution number 7 on Youth Unemployment. The BCP Congress held at Selebi-Phikwe on the 13th to the 15th resolved that “That the congress notes with concern government’s failure to address youth unemployment and underemployment; congress calls upon government to address the crisis through skilling the youth to the highest level and diversification of the economy via processing and beneficiation among others.”
This resolution is in line with the BCP’s 2012 National Conference resolution in Sefhare on affirmative action, the same affirmed by the Phikwe Congress. The Sefhare resolution mandates the party, in particular the central committee, to devise an affirmative action policy or a program that seeks to redress past discrimination and skewed political participation through active measures to ensure equal opportunity for women, youth and people with disabilities.
The BCP’s endeavour to improve the political participation and opportunities for women, youth and people with disabilities through preferential treatment in primary elections is unequivocally endorsed by the BCPYL as a progressive and commendable political undertaking. The decision will, in line with the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development and other international instruments, increase women participation in politics and further provide political opportunity to the youth and people with disabilities. We encourage especially men and the elderly to support this initiative because it is the most desirable and effective way of addressing the plight of previously disadvantaged groups in our society.
The principle behind positive discrimination as envisaged by the party is that women, youth and people with disabilities who are credible, with BCP credentials and erudite as well as politically sellable to the electorate, be accorded an opportunity to represent the party in the 2014 general elections without encumbrance. That is the essence of positive discrimination as envisioned by the party. The idea is not to get mediocre and or politically half-baked cadres as 2014 elections candidates.
The BCPYL is elated by the congress successful reach of 30% gender quota as required by the party constitution. The league expresses its satisfaction that the central committee elections, which were free and fair, reflect the will and wishes of the BCP members. We wish to congratulate the party’s new central committee and encourage those who lost to continue working for the party and try next time as well as understand that they are no less BCP members. We are confident in the leadership of Dumelang Saleshando and the newly elected central committee, in particular its ability to lead the party to 2014 elections.
The league wishes to encourage women, youth and people with disabilities as well as members of minority groups to participate meaningfully in the party and enhance intra-party democracy.
The BCPYL is satisfied that the congress met the expectations of BCP members and supporters as well as the broader public; it was held in an atmosphere of greater inclusiveness, transparency, and political accountability. The congress upheld the principle of internal-party democracy; elected leadership, mandate, criticism and self-criticism and meaningful participation.
Dithapelo Keorapetse
President, BCPYL
