Botswana Congress Party has postponed its weekend elective congress to a later date possibly in September.
BCP President, Dumelang Saleshando told the media this week that the party’s Central Committee resolved, during its emergency virtual meeting held on Sunday, to postpone the conference that had been slated for 31st July, to the 1st August 2021 on account of the rising COVID-19 infections and deaths. “The meeting further resolved to review the situation during the month of September 2021. The decision to postpone the conference was not arrived at easily.”
Saleshando said that despite the postponement preparations for the conference were at an advanced stage. “When the date for the conference was decided upon we had anticipated that the vaccine roll out would have covered sufficient number of the population thus flattening the COVID-19 curve. It has since emerged that the vaccine roll out is moving at a snail pace. As such, the country may not reach head immunity anytime soon. For the BCP the health and life of our members and the general population is of paramount importance.”
He said that the BCP members have not been spared either and a number of them who are activists and in leadership positions were on isolation.
Saleshando mentioned that the situation was compounded by the winter season that often confines people in doors with poor ventilation and the prevalence of the Delta variant that is easily transmissible.
He advised party members to finalise logistical preparations in readiness for the conference once a decision on a new date is finally taken, which he says will happen before the end of 2021. “The BCP will continue monitoring the situation closely. We must continue to adhere to COVID-19 protocols; proper use of face masks, social distancing and frequent hand washing.”
The BCP leader however said that they were waiting for a report from Kgatleng East region after only four out of the eleven wards took part in the nomination of delegates.
He said that after the postponement, the current Central Committee will keep on running the office until the congress is held.
