Oarabile Mosikare
18 July 2008
Francistown — Just like other opposition parties, the Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM), will meet here on Sunday for their annual delegates conference.
The president of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Gilson Saleshando, is expected to officially open the BAM conference at Leseding hall at 9am.
The BAM secretary general, Matlhomola Modise, disclosed that the leader of BAM, Ephraim Lepetu Setshwaelo, will travel to Bobonong where he will officially open the BCP congress. The two parties have signed a PACT agreement to contest next year's general election together.
Later in the day, BAM delegates will discuss the 2007-8 secretary general's report and treasurer's report.
"We will sit down and discuss pertinent issues affecting our party. We will also discuss strategies to bolster our electoral fortunes next year", revealed Modise.
The BAM-BCP PACT was taken with a pinch of salt by a section of BCP followers especially in Francistown West, which was awarded to BAM. Secretary for economic affairs, Whyte Marobela, who lost in the 2004 general election, demanded that primary elections be contested at the troublesome constituency.
The bitter followers initially threatened to take their party to court over the matter. At one time BCP secretary general, Taolo Lucas, was dispatched here to extinguish the fires. But as far as Modise is concerned there is no issue regarding his candidacy at Francistown West.
Modise pointed out that the agreement has been sealed. To him, the PACT with BCP will yield positive results and so far there has not been any problem. He said he accepted the dissenting voices as a norm in any democratic organisation.
Regarding the tension in Francistown West he explained that there is no need for the conference to discuss that. "We are busy tailoring strategies to win the constituency," he said.
There have been some reports that the PACT partners are pondering the possibility of a total merger.
Modise agreed: "If the conditions dictate we don't have a problem. BAM is a pioneer of opposition cooperation and if after the general elections there is a prospect to merge that will be welcome".
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