15 Jun 2026

T

he Alliance for Progressives (AP) has intensified its national mobilisation campaign after welcoming over 300 new members in the Kweneng region during a recruitment drive held in Molepolole on Saturday.

Among the new recruits were former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillors, signaling growing support for the party as it embarks on a nationwide membership recruitment exercise.

Addressing the gathering, Vice President Mr Ndaba Gaolathe, who is also AP president, said the party’s mission extended beyond winning elections and focused on producing quality leaders for generations to come.

“We have to continuously produce quality leaders in the next 10, 100 and even 200 years to come,” he said.

Mr Gaolathe said the AP was built on credibility and quality leadership, stressing that leadership should not be about personal entitlement but about serving the country’s interests.

“This is not about what individuals deserve, but everything to do with what the country deserves,” he said.

He outlined the party’s core values, emphasising respect as a fundamental principle.

“One of our core values is respect, not just among individuals but in the country at large. We believe that a country rooted in respect is a progressive one,” he said.

The Mr Gaolathe further stated that the party believed in inclusive development and ensuring that no citizen was left behind.

“We believe that everything we touch should turn into gold. We do not believe in leaving anyone behind. We believe in progress for all and that everyone is important and has a role to play in the development of this country,” he added.

He also shared what he termed the party’s “Purple Vision”, which prioritised education and skills development, clean governance and the protection of human life.

“The greatest empowerment is education and skills. We also believe in clean governance and the sanctity of human life,” he said.

AP Secretary General Dr Phenyo Butale said the party had launched a nationwide mobilisation drive aimed at strengthening its structures across the country.

“We want every village and every constituency to be active and have working and strong structures,” said Dr Butale, urging members to actively work for the growth of the party.

Meanwhile, AP vice president Mr Wynter Mmolotsi outlined ambitious membership targets under the recruitment campaign.

He said the party’s goal was to have at least 500 members in every council ward and one AP member in every family.

“Our target is for every member to recruit 50 new members so that we can achieve 500 members per ward,” said Mr Mmolotsi.

He revealed that registration would remain open for the next four months.Mr Mmolotsi also addressed concerns regarding shortages of medicines in public health facilities, assuring members that government was taking steps to stabilise the situation.

“The government acknowledges the current challenges, especially the shortage of medicines and is doing everything possible to stabilise the situation. Medicine consignments are arriving and will continue to arrive,” he said.

He added that ministries had recently agreed with the Ministry of Finance that requests from the Ministry of Health should be prioritised.

The party vice president further encouraged party members to share the achievements of the new government when recruiting new members. Speaking at the same event, AP Women’s League president Ms Thoko Ramangaswamy said women remained central to the country’s development agenda and should be represented in leadership structures.She said the party recognised the critical role women played in society and provided them with opportunities to influence decisions on issues affecting them, including often overlooked concerns such as unpaid care work.“We cannot talk about a thriving economy without the involvement of women and youth,” she said.

Ms Ramangaswamy noted that women made up the majority of the party’s membership and should therefore occupy leadership positions within the organisation.

For his part, AP Youth League president, Mr Topo Kwena encouraged young people to actively participate in developing solutions to Botswana’s unemployment challenges.

While acknowledging the difficulties facing many young people, he urged them to remain hopeful.

“Youth should take heart and know that tomorrow can be better than today,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the new recruits, former Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) councillor for Mokgopeetsane Ward, Ms Keamogetse Keikantse, said joining the AP was a carefully considered decision.

“I did not just wake up and decide to join the AP,” she said. “I took my time making that decision and eventually concluded that the AP is my new home.”Ms Keikantse said she was satisfied with the choice she had made and looked forward to contributing to the growth of the party.

Another new recruit, former Ntloedibe Ward councillor Mr Jeffrey Sibisibi, said the party’s growth should be accompanied by strong internal governance mechanisms.

He noted that as membership continues to increase, the party should ensure that growth was properly managed and supported by effective structures.

“Every growth should be managed and there should be a strong disciplinary committee,” said Mr Sibisibi. The recruitment drive forms part of the AP’s broader national campaign aimed at expanding its membership base and strengthening grassroots structures ahead of future political contests. ENDS