27 Apr 2022

Vice President and Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) chairman, Mr Slumber Tsogwane has implored members of his party in Boteti West to work hard and reclaim wards lost during the 2019 general elections. Speaking at a Boteti West branch congress in Rakops on Sunday, Mr Tsogwane urged BDP members to recruit more members at the cell and ward level. 

The branch congress was held to vote for branch and youth committee members. Mr Tsogwane cited the Kedia-Mokobaxane and Orapa wards as those they lost to the opposition. 

He also urged them to recruit members from other political parties and those that were not affiliated to any political party. 

He emphasised that they must recruit responsible and accountable members, saying they were against those who attacked and challenged the party leadership. 

He also urged BDP members to remain focused. 

He advised them to internalise the party manifesto by learning what the party intended to do, its plans and what it had promised to do for Batswana. 

He added that it was the responsibility of each and every BDP member to answer questions asked by the electorate in a positive manner. 

The Vice President also said Batswana could not be relieved from poverty if the party failed to follow programmes outlined in the manifesto. 

He said they had a programme to bridge the gap between the rich and poor through rural development policy.

Mr Tsogwane also informed BDP members that President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi introduced the reset-agenda to realign the way government thought and operated. 

He said a mindset change was critical to ensuring that a high income economy was attained, and that it came with developing the capacity for entrepreneurship as much as the use of technology to develop businesses. 

Botswana, he said, was no longer at the level of requesting for donations from international organisations but was now eagerly working towards manufacturing her own products. 

He noted that President Dr Masisi had been travelling to other countries to look for investors and build important connections, citing Forbes Under 30 Africa summit as one such connection. Because of the President’s good relationship with leaders across the world, he was able to persuade Forbes to bring their under 30 Summit to Africa, for the first time, and to hold the summit in Botswana, he said. 

Mr Tsogwane also said government had embarked on a constitutional review to take the country forward, and urged party members to ensure that they represented their country in a positive manner. 

He said the BDP led government had prioritised the nations’ desires, stating that the party was reliable and would not give people empty promises. 

Mr Tsogwane also encouraged party members to support the party President’s programmes. 

For his part, Tsienyane West councillor and member of the BDP Youth League, Mr Batsweletse Kgagamedi said their role was to establish if voting would be done in a fair manner, adding that the leadership should be respected. 

He said their duty was to also enforce discipline among members of the youth league, saying it was intended to ensure the smooth running of the movement. 

He encouraged the youth who would be voted into the committee to work hard to increase party membership. 

He also urged them to attract more youth members into the party. Ends