The internal conflicts between the Botswana National Front (BNF) and Alliance for Progressive(AP), partners in the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) over allocation of wards seems to have resurfaced with just over two weeks before the general elections.
The UDC has been trying by all to downplay the tension between the two parties but that seems to have been in vain as its now getting clear that AP and BNF are still not even. The relations between the two UDC coalition members is now without doubt on the rocks as it turns out that their disputes over certain wards were never resolved.
Just recently the two parties have been engaged in a legal battle for Ntloolengwae Ward in Molepolole North which was initially allocated to AP. The UDC president, Duma Boko would however later declare during Molepolole North parliamentary candidate’s launch that a BNF candidate is the one who will represent the UDC instead.
The conflict subsequently ended up reaching the Francistown High Court where the AP candidate sought an interdiction for the UDC not to submit the name of the BNF activist as their candidate for the Ward.
In Maun, the UDC has failed to field a council candidate for Komana-Nxaraga Ward in the Maun West constituency after BNF presented a different candidate despite AP candidate having been initially allocated the Ward.
Another similar situation also occurred in Disaneng Ward in the Maun East constituency where a BNF candidate was approved by the IEC after submitting two nomination letters signed by the UDC president despite the Ward having initially been allocated to AP.
It turned out that the representatives have all along been conducting parallel campaigns both using the UDC banner. To the surprise of many, the two candidates were even paraded as candidates for the UDC by the coalition president during the mega launch of UDC parliamentary candidate for Maun North, Maun East and Maun West recently.
Boko is said to have decided to launch both candidates to avoid causing confusion among party members assuring that the issue will soon be resolved.
During nominations the IEC is said to have approved the BNF representative on the basis that his nominations letters were signed by the UDC president while those for the AP candidate which were signed by his party secretary general were rejected.
Disgruntled AP members claim that the BNF has long wanted them out of the UDC team representing the Maun East constituency ahead of the polls. It is understood that all council candidates who will be representing the coalition in the Maun East constituency are members of the BNF only.
Some of the frustrated AP members who were pushed out of the general election race by the BNF are reportedly mapping their way out of the UDC with some even contemplating quitting their own party to avoid any link with the BNF. They are expected to host a press briefing by next week to officially announce their next move.
Nominations for the coming general elections for both parliamentary and council candidates were closed last week Friday with the IEC stating that parties that failed to submit valid nominations by that time would be disqualified. It noted that any challenge to these decisions must be brought forward as an election petition after the elections.
This publication was yet to get a comment from UDC spokesperson, Moeti Mohwasa at the time of going to print.
