Botswana: BMD Boils Over

Political manoeuvering inside the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) could best be defined like the sophistry of a chess game. Just when one faction was moving for a checkmate supposedly armed with endorsement to go for a special congress, the other faction pulled the rug from under their feet - out-rightly rejecting what they perceived to be an 'unconstitutional move'. The letters from party regions presented before the Central Committee meeting, seeking a special congress, were rejected and thrown out the window as unconstitutional, as warring factions employ tactics akin to a chess game. The game of chess is a complicated game employing zero sum, competitive Machiavellian strategies to protect key political positions. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent's king, and to protect the queen, the most powerful piece in the game, as long as possible. Armed with letters from regions across the country, the Mmolotsi/Ndaba faction - led by MP for Gaborone Central Dr Phenyo Butale - thought they had checkmated the Mangole/Modubule faction.

But little did they know their political rivals had an ace up their sleeve, counter strategy to draw Mmolotsi/Ndaba's attention in one direction while their target was the constitution, a killer punch aimed at self-preservation and buying time. The Mangole/Modubule faction, which is currently controlling the BMD National Executive Committee, informed their political rivals that the letters from the regions offend the constitution as ward committees didn't hold meetings to elect delegates to branch congresses leading to regional congresses, which have powers to take a resolution to petition NEC seeking a special congress. Information gathered by The Patriot on Sunday has revealed that the two factions are busy canvassing support behind the scene, away from prying eyes of on-lookers. The Mmolotsi/Ndaba faction recently embarked on a countrywide tour addressing party members about the sorry state of the party and all the constituencies addressed agreed that a special congress must be called to bring peace to the party.

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