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Botswana: Defaulting BDP Members Put on Notice
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
4 April 2008
Posted to the web 7 April 2008
Oliver Modise
Gaborone
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is set to take stern action against members who have not fulfilled the financial pledges they made to the party.
Nkate told members at last week's National Council meeting to pay up or face heavy penalties. He said it is regrettable that BDP MPs and councillors owe the party a lot of money. "A lot of our councillors and MPs are in arrears of their monthly contributions, yet they want to continue to be called members in good standing," he said. He expressed surprise that members and branches are not willing to pay their dues as agreed.
Nkate also warned party members suspected of hiding membership cards from the owners. He announced that the party is caught in a card hoarding exercise. "Anyone who is seen doing this must be reported to the relevant structures immediately," he stated. He criticised party members for taking their grievances to the media.
He said seeking publicity through the media is not good for the BDP. "Baegaetsho, we must avoid the tendency of leaking information to the media," he said. Nkate urged party members to write and debate in defence of the party at all times without hesitation.
He said he wants party members to develop and submit concrete policy documents before the party's structures like central committee, national council and congress. He said that such policies will be taken on board for implementation by the government. He gave BDP members up to May 30, 2009 to submit ideas to the party office for inclusion in the manifesto for next year's general elections.
In his report to the council, Nkate said he has noted that membership registration in the Central District is low and the party does not have support from men. "If this region's is registering low numbers, one wonders whether they even register to vote for us in the general elections," he questioned. He urged party members to take advantage of the upcoming August supplementary registration to register to vote.
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"The 52% popular vote that has been bandied about as evidence of BDP's dwindling support is on the whole a result of the failure of our members to register and go to elections on the day of elections," said Nkate.
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