07 May 2018

The Vice President, Mr Slumber Tsogwane has urged Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) youth members to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner and protect the good reputation of the party.

Speaking at the national youth rally and National Youth Executive Committee (NYEC) 40th anniversary in Maun West constituency where about 65 young people from opposition parties were welcomed, the vice president said BDP was a party which had been built on a solid foundation by strong people..

Mr Tsogwane who is also the party chairperson noted that BDP was formed and built by veterans who left a visible legacy which all should maintain hence the need to exercise good behaviour and sustain its reputation.

“We are a party in government, we know where we are heading hence the need for you to join hands and play your role,” he added.

He urged the youth to respect leadership as tomorrow they would expect the same when holding high positions within the party. The youth were encouraged to work as a unit to ensure that peace and stability within their organization continued to reign.

Furthermore, Mr Tsogwane noted that his party was the only one which had rich history and a story to tell unlike opposition parties.

Young people were urged not to emulate opposition parties’ politics of hate but rather concentrate on selling their party manifesto to voters.

Mr Tsogwane revealed that the country still had a long way to go, and that Batswana should not waste their votes either on opposition parties.

He pleaded with them to fight opposition parties with party programmes and votes rather than peddle untruths and badmouthing.

For his part, former BDP first youth secretary general, Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri gave a brief history about the formation of youth wing noting thatfrom 1962 to 1977, the party functioned without a youth wing.

In1977, he said the then president stressed the need to form a youth wing and “we were selected as an interim committee under the leadership of the late Mr Pelokgale Seloma while I took the position of secretary general”.

He said the committee was endorsed in 1978 at Serowe Congress and were instructed to form regional committees which would play a key role in the growth of the party.

The committee, he said played a significant role in shaping the party policies and programmes, and also taking the party closer to young people across the country.

“We are very proud that since then, our party remain strong and in power while opposition parties continue to collapse,” he added.

Mr Matlhabaphiri underscored the need for democrats to work as a team to take the country forward. He said under the BDP, the country had enjoyed peace and stability which was paramount to all Batswana. ENDS