PHATLALLANG ONCE!
‘Splinter parties must break up and return home’
Political science lecturer at the University of Botswana (UB), Leonard Sesa’s advice to political parties in this country, is for splinter parties to dissolve and rejoin their former parties.
Only then can opposition parties unite against the Botswana Democratic Party, he said.
The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) split from Botswana National Front (BNF) while the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) are splinters of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
Meanwhile, the Alliance for Progressives (AP) is an offshoot of the BMD. “Whether we like it or not, countries such as America are good role models in terms of the number of political parties. There you have the Democrats and the Republicans.
“With the large number of political parties whose existence is motivated by different factors, it is very difficult to unseat the ruling Botswana Democratic Party,” said Sesa when asked whether the continued proliferation of opposition parties does not militate against change of government.
“I am disappointed by the emerging parties such as the BPF. Instead of forming their own party and then immediately ask for opposition cooperation talks, the BPF members should have themselves joined the existing parties,” opined the UB educator who prefers two political parties for what he calls real competition.
His view is that, however insignificant the political beliefs or ideologies are in Botswana, bringing five (5) political parties together in the latest proposal for cooperation talks may not work. “For example, when you have a situation where the UDC wants to unseat the BDP for political reasons and (former President Dr Ian) Khama wants Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi out for personal reasons, the two parties clearly have got nothing in common,” said Sesa. Regrettably, according to Sesa, now with five (5) parties involved in the talks, there will be more fights for wards and constituencies.
The results of the 2019 general elections and the loss by the UDC leader will bring about the big-brother mentality, according to Sesa who believes that unless they change tact, the opposition has got a long way to go in Botswana. Meanwhile, speaking on condition of anonymity a member of the UDC said he would like a more transparent UDC where issues are addressed
Then you can talk political cooperation – Analyst
timeously.
“Had we acted quickly, the BMD would not have split. The split, happening as it did under our watch, portrayed us as poor managers,” he said.
He also opined that the UDC partners seriously need to dissolve and merge into a single party.
“In 2014, the UDC was poised to win the elections but could not because of feuds over Ramotswa and Francistown West constituencies which led to the BCP pulling out of the talks,” the source recalls.
He added that the allegations of parties sabotaging each other at the 2019 general elections were not unfounded.
“As long as the various political parties exist, partisan interests will remain as parties compete for supremacy,” said the source.
Had we acted quickly, the BMD would not have split. The split, happening as it did under our watch, portrayed us as poor managers.