06 Jul 2017

The Botswana Democratic Party elective congress will kick-off on July 7 at Tonota College of Education.

In an interview, party’s secretary general, Mr Botsalo Ntuane said the congress would be officially opened by President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama, who would give the keynote address.

He said Vice President Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi was also expected to attend the congress, and that other dignitaries would be representatives of ruling parties in neighbouring countries such as the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) of Namibia, Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), Zimbabwe African Union (ZANU-PF), People’s Movement for Liberation of Angola (MPLA), African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa, Patriotic Front (PF) of Zambia and other stakeholders.

Mr Ntuane said members of the public were invited to the official opening which would be followed by a closed door session where reports by the party’s secretary general and the treasurer would be made.

On July 8, he said, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) would address the congress on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), and that later delegates would comment on the President’s, secretary general’s and treasurer’s reports.

Mr Ntuane said the congress would be concluded by elections of the central committee. He said nominees would be known during the nomination process which was expected to be done on the same day.

He said it was early to disclose the names of the central committee aspirants as some candidates might pull out during the nomination exercise due to reasons best known to them.

He appealed to democrats not to be disunited by the outcome of the central committee elections, saying the party still needed their input to ensure the party wins the 2019 general elections. ENDS