Botswana‘s opposition youth leagues say they are on a mission to prove to their respective mother parties that a successful opposition co-operation is possible.
“We want to send a message to our party leaderships that we should all make every effort at working together in preparation for 2014,” said Lotty Manyapetsa, president of the Botswana Congress Party Youth League.
June 16th 2010 will mark the first day of the joint efforts co-operation by the three youth leagues of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Botswana National Front (BNF), and youth from the BDP splinter party, the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).
The three have mapped out what they said would be a massive demonstration to the Ministry of Education, where they are expected to hand over a petition raising concerns about the state of educational affairs in the country.
The three were adamant that the demonstration would just be the beginning of more works to come.
They were, however, quick to point out that the joint demonstration does not in any way indicate that they are already united.
“We are simply trying to get the ball rolling by lobbying for opposition co-operation,” said Kagiso Ntime of the BNFYL.
Last week, Ntime made known that he had personally sent letters inviting Armstrong Dikgafela, President of BMDYL, and Manyapetsa, president of BCPYL, to form a joint demonstration for the day of the African Child.
Upon their accepting the invitation, they decided to come up with the theme ‘Education is my Right’.
The three have all pointed out that, as the leaders of the youth leagues, they have promised to work hard at proving that co-operation between them and other interested parties can go a long way in destroying harmful policies of the BDP.
Dikgafela said the demonstration would only form part of the many things they will co-operate on in the future.
The three have also pointed out that what they are doing is in no way rebellious; they said that their respective congresses which are the highest decision making bodies, had in the past indicated that they wanted opposition co-operation.
“It was agreed at a convention in 2005, that the party would co-operate with all interested parties,” said Ntime, while Manyapetsa held that “it was agreed that we all want opposition co-operation at the last conference we had in Botleti.”
For his part Dikgafela said BMD made a resolution at their convention to co-operate with other opposition parties.
