BPP distances itself from BCP

The Botswana People’s Party (BPP) has distanced itself from the claims made by the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) on why the party did not attend the Press Conference by the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) this morning.

The Press Statement by the Publicity Secretary for BPP, No Kgafela-Mokoka stipulated;

“The BPP would like to distance itself and the BPP President from the alleged proposal and further states that:

1. BPP is a co-founder of the UDC and hence could never at any point act In any way that could impede the progress of the coalition.
2. As a member of the UDC, the BPP is duty bound to participate in all UDC activities.
3. The BPP is an autonomous legal entity and would not want to have any other party advance any ideas or reports on its behalf. We therefore, would like to advise our UDC partners to desist from making any statement about the party without prior consultation, especially when such statements are made public. Such act could damage the relationship between BPP and other UDC partners.
4. The BPP wishes to inform the public that it attended today’s UDC PRESS conference.”

In the said Press Statement by the BCP, the party qouted issues of miscommunication between the National Executive Committee (NEC) made up of members from the three (3) contracting parties. It is said that the three (3) parties; Botswana Congress Party (BCP), Botswana National Front (BNF), and Botswana People’s Party (BPP) had a virtual meeting on the 10th June 2021. According to the BCP, they did not attend the meeting as they received the link to the meeting very late.

The BCP further held that they failed to honor this morning’s Press Conference led by the UDC President- Advocate Duma Gideon Boko because “the issues to be discussed at the Press Conference have not been shared with Botswana Congress Party”. The party then tried to source information on the subject, only to be ignored. According to the BCP, they then proposed that the meeting be postponed “to allow party leaders to meet and agree on issues to be shared with the Press.” The sentiments shared by the BPP President, who is also the UDC Chairperson got rejected by Boko, “the UDC Chairperson, who is also the President of the Botswana People’s Party, also made a similar proposal. However, the suggestions were rejected by the UDC President, Comrade Duma Boko”. the BCP alleged.