Botswana National Front (BNF) President, Advocate Duma Boko has made a passionate plea for reconciliation, urging members to forgive former comrades who defected to rival parties, notably the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
Officially opening the Congress, President Boko acknowledged the deep sting of betrayal felt by loyalists when members departed, particularly ahead of the general elections. However, he framed forgiveness as an essential act of strength for the movement’s future.
“Forgiveness is not for the weak,” Boko stated emphatically. “Some of our members, when approaching the past elections, they became impatient and left us, but they were hard-core members of this movement that we know and having worked with them.”
He presented the central dilemma facing the BNF: “The question now has been how to handle them: do we disregard them and not work with them or we accept them back and start building them.” Boko confessed to wrestling with intense personal resentment. “It once came to my mind that we should not work with them or accept them back because betrayal is very painful.”
His internal deliberations, however, led him to a different conclusion. “I had a long thought about it, alone thinking about the decision and I concluded by saying, to err is human to forgive is divine.” Directly addressing the Congress delegates, Boko implored: “Forgive them and don’t be harsh on them. “Ke bafokodi ba rona le seka la ba kgobotletsa mme le ka ba kanoka,” he added.
The call for clemency extended to prominent former members who joined the BDP, including individuals like Owe Mmolawa, Kagiso Thutlwe, former BNF Youth League President Resego Kgosidiile, and Obakeng Matlou.
Boko’s message of unity and forgiveness, however, stood in contrast to a sobering assessment delivered by former Secretary General Ketlhalefile Motshegwa in his pre-election report. Motshegwa raised serious alarms about rising indiscipline within the party ranks, including among some leaders.
While affirming the BNF’s foundational principle of accountability – “BNF by its natural nature and principles has always allowed its members to question and hold its leaders accountable. No matter what position a comrade holds in the organisation, members must be accorded the opportunity to question decisions” – Motshegwa stressed the critical need for order.
“Having said that, it is also to maintain discipline in the organisation for the purpose of organisational reputation and integrity to retain existing members and attract new ones,” he asserted. He pointed to a “worrying trend of high level of indiscipline… including by some in positions of leadership,” describing it as a “betrayal of the responsibility bestowed upon them.”
Motshegwa warned of severe consequences: “There is unfolding disturbing trend of indiscipline in the party, something which has potential to bring the party into a state of anarchy, chaos, instability, ingredients which are not good for the party.”
He argued that robust “order and discipline” are non-negotiable prerequisites for achieving “organizational unity, cohesion, and good reputation,” essential to retain members, attract new ones, and secure partnerships with stakeholders aligned to the BNF’s strategic objectives.
