Despite what Duma Gideon Boko said a few weeks back regarding the health of the UDC coalition, Dumelang Saleshando says the opposite of what Boko said is actually the truth.
“Our biggest plea on our partners is that we should desist from telling the nation that there are no problems while they are there. Problems are there between members of the UDC, as well as between the leadership. For you to solve problems, you need first to acknowledge that problems are there” Dumelang Saleshando, the President of the BCP, and UDC Vice President pleaded.
Saleshando was speaking earlier today during a press conference arranged and hosted by Botswana Congress Party (BCP) in Gaborone. A few weeks back, the President of the Botswana National Front (BNF) also the President of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)- Duma Gideon Boko rubbished allegations that there are problems within the UDC.
During the press conference held by BNF and Botswana People’s Party (BPP) under the UDC banner, Boko indicated that there are no problems at all in the UDC. He said it does not mean BNF and BCP are fighting if two members from two parties are fighting. Boko went on to give an assurance that there are no sour relations between him and his Vice- Dumelang Saleshando. On the contrary, Saleshando this morning at the BCP press conference revealed that he never spoke to Boko over the phone ever since 2021 began. “As UDC members, we do not trust each other as we did before” Saleshando confessed.
The internal fights between UDC contracting parties, particularly the BCP and the BNF, have been evident on social media platforms. The fights were due to diverging views of the two parties. While BCP members wants the UDC to hold an elective congress and have the UDC leadership elected there, the BNF activists hold a view that Saleshando is eyeing the UDC top seat which is “reserved for BNF President according to the UDC constitution”
“The constitution which we found (when getting into the UDC) never mentioned UDC presidency belonging to any party.” said Saleshando. According to Saleshando, there was an agreement for the UDC to hold an elective congress post 2019 elections, something which never materialized. Saleshando laments that they are now called names when talking about the elective congress and the democratization of the UDC.
