Botswana Movement for Democracy

The Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) is a new opposition political party in Botswana. It was established in 2010 by MPs and other politicians who split from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party over differences with Ian Khama, the BDP's leader and President of Botswana. It was the first party to split from the BDP, which has ruled Botswana since independence in 1966. Its leader is Gomolemo Motswaledi, elected on May 2, 2011 at the party's inaugural congress. Botsalo Ntuane, currently MP for Gaborone West South constituency and the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, was elected as party Vice President. Sydney Pilane, who had been serving as the party's Public Relation's Officer since its formation, lost his bid for Party President to Motswaledi.

Botswana Movement for Democracy and Botswana Democratic Party The splitting of Botswana Democratic Party resulting in the emergence of Botswana Movement for Democracy will remain a centre of debate for long years to come. The split of BDP has dramatically forced the history to be re-written again in the new books. It is very unfortunate that the split of BDP coincided with the diminishing health of prominent Historian writer Professor Thomas Tlou, who passed away few weeks after the formation of BMD. BDP, having ruled the country for the period of more than four decades, having been riven by internal party functions and having lost its charismatic leader and founder of the party, Sir Seretse Khama in 1980, BDP remained united and unshaken until 2008 when the son of the founder, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama ascended to the position of presidency. Ian Khama, a man with a military background himself made it clear upon assuming the highest position in land that he was not going to be continuing on where his predecessors left. In fact he was beginning from the scratch with his own man in harness. This become apparent when immediately after being sworn as the president of the republic, he reshuffled the existing cabinet in favour of his allies. One may have just wondered exactly how automatic succession works if the two never had a common views.

Ian Khama can sometimes be excused for the way he acts because from right beginning he had stated that he is not a politician and does not have interest for politics. The man even continues to insist today that he is not a politician and he was only persuaded into it. After Sir Ketumile Masire retired, Mogae ascended to this position automatically. He became the first President to assume the position in this manner after the resolution was reached in 1995 to make the vice-president to ascend to the position of presidency automatically should the position of presidency fall vacant. When Mogae took over the presidency, it was expected that David Magang or Ponatshego Kedikilwe will deputize him. To Mogae known of them were good enough. Not really they were not good enough. It was believed that the two were from different factions, which by voting either of them could have fuelled hostility within the party. Mogae then approached Ian Khama while he was still a BDF commander. Rumours are that the move was entirely facilitated by Dr Kenneth Koma, the BNF president who was leader of opposition then. Those who knows well says Koma was a BDP ally, in fact it is said that when Koma returned from his studies overseas, Sir Seretse Khama wanted him for Vice-Presidency but Koma declined the offer saying it would not be a good idea since it will weaken BDP so he suggested that the best way was for himself to form a new party that will oppose BDP. So Kenneth Koma was not really anti-BDP that’s why he helped it in anyways. It is known that Koma did not like only Ketumile Masire and during Masire’s tenure as president that’s when he got serious. When Festus Mogae took over he went back to his position and that’s why he helped it to lure Ian Khama to politics. The move subsequently led to the breaking of his party resulting in the formation of BCP.
 It is reported that when Ian Khama was approached by President Festus Mogae, he declared “I am a kgosi. If you want me into politics, then do not ask me to follow Bathoen’s example of abdicating my Chieftainship.’ Mogae agreed to his demands. He entered government on his own conditions and brought with him his close attendants from BDF. He knew that the BDP, riven by factionalism, corruption scandals, and popular anger from early 1990s, needed him more than he needed them. Ian Khama was brought with the hope that he will heal the party factionalism. As the son of the first president Sir Seretse Khama, they were sure that he will be respected by the party members and hopefully he will end the factions. Not Ian Khama. On the 31st March 1998, Ian Khama was BDF Commander, the next day, on the 1st of April 1998, it was announced that he will be the new President, Festus Mogae’s deputy. To some MPs, they were shocked. To David Magang, he had been turned into an April fool. Phandu Skelemani who was the Attorney General was quoted in Kalanga saying, “Ian Khama for Vice-Presidency? Mono penga.” That is how the whole thing began. 

When Mogae was still in the presidency, Ian Khama never showed his true character, which somehow prompted people to want him for presidency. At last the time came, President Mogae retired, Ian Khama assumed the driving seat. Immediately after taking over the throne some began to feel the heat. It started when Khama reshuffled the cabinet despite the general elections being the following year which could have given him chance to start afresh on a new page. Festus Mogae’s specially elected MPs could not enjoy at all without the man who brought them to parliament. Moggie Mbaakanye and Professor Sheila Tlou were dropped from their cabinet positions and Botsalo Ntuane was never his blue eyed boy. Then it went straight to his party. He announced that no party member should hold position in Cabinet and in the party. Khama himself previously held two positions, as vice-president and as the party chairman. The main target was Daniel Kwelagobe, a staunch member of Barataphathi faction who has been holding cabinet position as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, the position he held for majority of time during Festus Mogae’s tenure as President. As the party chairman Ian Khama wanted him to vacate one of the position. Kwelagobe was later dropped from his cabinet position and then be replaced by Dr Margret Nasha who was the Minister of Local Government.

Since then the hostility between Barataphathi and A Team intensified and before the 2009 party central committee elections which were to be held in Kanye the factions were almost fighting each other with Ian Khama himself leading the on slaughter of Barataphathi faction while on the side of A Team. As the party leader, this was mistake, none of his predecessors have aligned himself with one of the factions because they know the danger it can cause in breaking the party. Nevertheless Khama ignored that and continued with that suicidal recipe. His main wish was to quickly eliminate those who were not his dearest. Khama de-campaigned Daniel Kwelagobe and his associate and told masses that he will no longer work with him, calling him power hungry and alien man. The attack aimed at Barataphathi never found their target as they never seemed attractive to any member of BDP, instead those attacks drew public sympathy for Barataphathi faction. Not only Khama attacked Barataphathi, prominent members of BDP who belonged to A-Team faction attacked Barataphathi as well. It is understood that Minister of Education at that time Jacob Nkate joined the bandwagon, attacking Daniel Kwelagobe and his team in interviews with local newspapers. Another prominent member who attacked Kwelagobe was Tebelelo Seretse. Seretse claimed that Kwelagobe took their goats when he said he was retiring from central committee. The statement did not go well with Gomolemo Motswaledi, who was the Barataphathi member. This led to Gomolemo Motswaledi, reminding Seretse that if they want their goats they would compesate them accordingly. Tebeleo Seretse was contesting for party Chairmanship against Daniel Kwelagobe.  When Kanye Congress approached, Barataphathi won all the Central Committee seats losing only one, of party treasure which was won by Star Dada. Despite Barataphathi seizing control of the party by the virtue of their triumph, their victory was undermined in every turn. Khama himself had previously said that he will not work with Kwelagobe and his associates; he took absolute control of the party. Far much worse he used the party lawyers to take some party decisions, which completely underestimated the party central committee. After the elections Khama appointed 77 members as members of Sub-committees. Collins Newman and Company was appointed as party lawyers. Barataphathi members did not agree with Khama on those appointments. Gomolemo Motswaledi’s relationship with the President went sour when he rebuked the press statement by party lawyer Parks Tafa of Collins Newman and Company over the powers of party president. Consequently Gomolemo Motswaledi was suspended for 60 days supposedly for defying President Khama. Motswaledi wanted the matter to be resolved so that he could be given time to campaign for Gaborone Central where he was contesting against BCP's Dumelang Saleshando. Motswaledi then took the matter to court to seek help. Motswaledi lost the case by the virtue of Khama's position as a president which means he was immune to prosecution and cannot be sued. Motswaledi took the matter to Court of Appeal where he lost the appeal. Motswaledi’s suspension was later extended with five years which effectively meant that Motswaledi will not even have the chance to contest for 2014 general elections. It is clear that Khama wanted to keep Motswaledi out of BDP at least during his tenure as president. He knew that by suspending him for further five years he will not have chance to contest in the next general election which will be his last as the president. During the trial Motswaledi was not alone, he was always supported by other Barataphathi members. Although Motswaledi lost the case, it earned him popularity the entire country. Taking your president to court is not a child’s play and he shown bravery to fight for what he believed in. it was the sacrifice he made himself and risking anything bad or good. He fought for democratic values he believed in. After the suspension of Gomolemo Motswaledi it was not long before the central committee tender their en mass resignation. It was no longer objective for them to stay in central committee that they never had a say in the running of the party.

Repeated calls were made by party elders to the central committee to reverse their decision. But they sent two ultimatums; the reinstatement of Gomolemo Motswaledi as Secretary General and constitutional review. Gomolemo Motswaledi had subsequently resigned from BDP. On the 20th of March 2010, Barataphathi members diverged to Big Five Lodge in Mogoditshane to talk about their problems at the party and the feasible way. It is understood that this is where the resolution to form a splinter part was reached. It was no longer justifiable for them to remain in an organization that has knowingly changed its most fundamental defining character – internal party democracy. They could no longer relate with a party that had surrendered its very soul to the whims and likes of single individual. They found themselves in an organization that had abandoned faith in democracy. Any attempts to address the situation were met with prosecution. The stark reality was that BDP was no longer possible to reform from within. However the meeting did not go well with the BDP leadership which demand to know what the meeting was for and wanted to punish those who attended the meeting. Some of the members who attended included Botsalo Ntuane, Wynter Molotsi, Samson Guma Moyo, Gilbert Mangole, Sidney Pilane, Kabo Morwaeng, Tawana Moremi and Mmoloki Raletobana. However the latter two apologised while others refused to honour the Disciplinary Hearing known as “Kangaroo court” headed by Shaw Kgathi who it was understood that he was instructed by Khama to expel those who attended. Botsalo Ntuane and Wynter Molotsi were first to be expelled. Few months later Botswana Movement for Democracy was formed and was officially inaugurated at Letlhabile Primary School on the 29th of May 2010. The formation of BMD fuelled expulsion as all the members who were associated with the Barataphathi faction got chopped. All those who attended the famous Mogoditshane meeting were expelled the list which included Guma Moyo and Gilbert Mangole The party adopted orange as its main colour, prompting Journalist to call it “Orange Revolution”. Interim leadership was established, Gomolemo Motswaledi being the Chairman, Botsalo Ntuane deputizing him. Guma Moyo; treasure and Kabo Morwaeng, Head of Mobilization. By the time the BMD came into picture, BDP leadership was in panic. The Barataphathi who were still at the BDP did not waste time to by waiting to be expelled as the resigned week in week out. The BDP youth league members all resigned including its president Armstrong Dikgafela and joined BMD. It was not long before the University of Botswana Student Representative Council members joined the movement and renaming themselves Basco Student Movement for Democracy (BSMD).. By this time Khama and his party were swimming in the pool of confusion. First he went to hold a rally in Francistown at Chedu donga grounds. The aim of the rally was to discredit those who have joined the new party. However a week later BMD held its first rally ever at the very same place Khama held his rally, but if the attendance was something to go by, BMD was already popular in the second city of the country. The city that day was orange in colour and about 15000 attended the rally, probably the most attended rally ever in the history of Botswana politics, reminding me of the Nuremberg rally which was held by Hitler in the 1930s. Khama and his sycophants then tried to go each and every constituency where Members of Parliament for those constituencies joined the new movement. His mission was one, to discredit the new party. To me that’s what Khama wanted. To exclude those whom he did not like out of his party. No mistake, his party. I am saying these because the man has tried all he could to expel and mess things in the party. Party elders tried to intervene in good time but he sidelined them saying that they have no right to decide on how to run the party. But I was not feeling sorry for him, I was very happy when all these happen because I knew that maybe after BDP experience these, it will then get serious in running the country. However two scenarios nearly tarnished the image of BMD, the tracking back of Philip Makgalemele and Patrick Masimolole to BDP. It is reported that money amounting to millions were used to lure back the two guys thanks god it did not make the orange movement panic. Pundits however describe the two politicians as having committed “political suicide.” Indeed it is suicide, who will ever vote the two guys? Who trust them now? We do not trust them at BMD because they hummilated us, even those at BDP don’t trust them, the voters too. They left BDP denouncing their policies and then barely three weeks later they rejoined it. Since the formation of BMD, parliament debates have been lively with Botsalo Ntuane and Wynter Molotsi leading the shots. The two MPs have been discrediting BDP policies and have called constitution review. The BDP has also changed its policy on its members and it has now became soft. They are afraid to punish any member because they known that it will be easy for him to pack his back and head to BMD.

External links

• Botswana Movement for Democracy website