Before the Botswana National Front (BNF) congress starts, the party is grappling with a dispute over who should stand for central committee elections.

Already there are questions over the membership of some people whose names have been mentioned as contestants. They include human rights lawyer Duma Boko who is reported to be interested in the party presidency.

An inside source has revealed that some people in the party leadership doubt whether he is a member of the BNF."But the truth is Boko has a life membership of the BNF and there is no way his membership can be said to have expired," said the source. Other people whose memberships have been questioned are Dr Elmon Tafa and Lobatse MP, Nehemiah Modubule who were unceremoniously booted out of the party by the current central committee led by Otsweletse Moupo. These are members of BNF Temporary Platform and Tafa has said that they are not barred from contesting the elections. The Platform was formed after some BNF members were dismissed from the party. The elective congress will be held in July this year. The names of Tafa and Modubule have featured in some lobby lists as candidates for positions in the central committee. Tafa is fielded in his former position of secretary for political education. Modubule who was once chairman of the BNF is featured as party president.

Tafa has indicated that he would be ready to stand as long as the BNF members want him to. He explained that the congress, as the highest decision making body and not the central committee would decide whether they should be welcomed back into the fold. "Our fate is in the hands of the congress. It is the people and not the Moupo central committee who can reinstate us and allow us to stand for elective positions at the July congress," he said.

Tafa has however refused to confirm whether he intends to contest the BNF elections. "The BNF membership who have since put our names in lobby lists will decide. As we speak, there is an ongoing debate which will in the final analysis culminate in one lobby list," he said.

Boko was unavailable for comment but Chapter 11 of the 2005 BNF constitution stipulates that the national congress shall have the power to "confirm, amend, repudiate or revoke any decision made by any organ of the BNF and its group members". The chapter gives the congress the mandate to evaluate the work of the central committee, consider and adopt reports and resolutions, to determine the basic formation of the BNF and to decide on all important matters of internal policy and the basic courses of activity in national and international affairs.

Although Boko was unavailable for comment it is known that he contested the 2001 central committee elections at the Kanye Congress. It is also understood that some are questioning his membership and believe that he should be barred from contesting. Yesterday, BNF deputy secretary general, Mokgweetsi Kgosipula refused to say whether the party leadership has questioned Boko's membership. "Who told you that?" he queried and hung up. Efforts to reach party spokesman Moeti Mohwasa were futile as his mobile was off. Modubule's phone rang unanswered.