Member of Parliament for Selibe Phikwe West, Dithapelo Keorapetse, has assured the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) members of a better future ahead following a weekend retreat by the Umbrella leadership.
UDC President, Duma Boko, together with party Vice President, Dumelang Saleshando, took a weekend retreat in Maun and the Okavango Delta, which took many by surprise as the two had been rumoured to have fallen out.
However, Keorapetse, who is also the Botswana Congress Party’s Publicity Secretary, said that they were actually happy and hopeful for a better future after that retreat.
He said that although nothing official was discussed, the meeting will strengthen their movement.
“Nothing official was discussed, it was a personal meeting of two leaders coming together to strengthen their relationship for the sake of the majority UDC members.”
Keorapetse refused to be drawn much into what was discussed save to say good things are coming.
Meanwhile, Keorapetse dismissed allegations that the BCP, especially it’s President, were mobilising to have the UDC merger topic discussed and passed at the conference.
A concerned party member told this publication that the BCP had wanted a resolution to be passed, requiring all parties under the UDC to merge and later go for an elective congress.
“They think that by taking that route, Saleshando will then win and become party president,” he said.
Keorapetse, however, parried away the insinuation.
“That is not true. After the State of the Party keynote speech by the Party President, Saleshando, the Secretary General and Treasurer will present reports. Thereafter all these three papers will be discussed at the Commissions to generate resolutions. The expectation, because this was done several times before, is for the party members to affirm the BCP position in the UDC and/or to confirm that the party remains part of the UDC for 2024 elections.”
Keorapetse explained that the mandate to negotiate whatever the party prefers will be given to its representatives at the UDC National Executive Committee.
