BCP MPs divided over his alleged call to pull out of UDC
Botswana Congress Party (BCP) President Dumelang Saleshando has called a central committee emergency meeting on Saturday.
Although Saleshando has kept the Saturday meeting agenda a secret, inside sources have alleged that the sole purpose of the meeting is for the president to bear down on his MPS to agree with his decision to pull out of the Umbrella for Democratic Change.
Apparently two factions have emerged in the BCP dividing the party between three members of parliament supporting Saleshando’s decision to leave and seven MPS who want the party to remain in the coalition movement.
According to a reliable source, Saleshando fancies his chances as the president of this country and sees UDC president Duma Boko as a stumbling block he could easily get rid of by pulling out of the Umbrella ahead of the 2024 elections.
“The seven MPs who are opposed to Saleshando’s reasoning have argued that the president is being selfish and putting his personal interest ahead of the people,” said a source.
“He is too toxic. He is forever complaining about the so-called lack of democracy within the UDC but we are in parliament because of the same UDC that he accuses of lacking in democracy,” said a concerned veteran BCP member speaking on a condition of anonymity.
The member who holds a high position within the party went on to complain that Saleshando does not listen to advice.
Meanwhile a concerned MP said, “Some Opposition leaders see that the BDP is dying and conclude that whoever stands as UDC Presidential Candidate stands a real chance of becoming the next president of the country, so stakes are high and sometimes it gets personal.”
The MP went on to explain that pulling out of the Umbrella would not be an option because, “We are in parliament as UDC not BCP and those who decide to leave the Umbrella should know that they cannot force those who want to remain to go with them.”
Another source from the lime machine accused Saleshando of hiding behind small issues such as disagreements over allocation of wards and seats at the University of Botswana as an excuse to move out.
“These are minor issues which we cannot use to pull out of the UDC,” he said.
Yet another concerned BCP member warned that their President’s plan was to leave UDC and work with Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Alliance for Progressives (AP).
“He doesn’t know that once he leaves the UDC those too parties, AP and BPF will join it leaving us alone and out in the cold,” said the worried member.
Saleshando refused to address questions sent to him instead and asked the reporter to use an article that was published on the 30th of April 2021 about his unfolding plot to exit the Umbrella.
Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Opposition Cooperation Forum, Margret Nasha called a meeting on Thursday to address the opposition leaders on cooperation framework for the 2024 General Elections.
“The committee has had to postpone its discussions on proposed cooperation frameworks for the 2024 General Elections numerous times, largely because the UDC is yet to come up with a position paper.This has caused an air of despondency among cooporating partners hence the need for your timely intervention,” wrote Nasha.