Botswana Democratic Party President, Mokgweetsi Masisi has dismissed speculations that he intends to drop party chairman, Slumber Tsogwane as his Vice President in favour for finance minister, Peggy Serame.
Reports have been rife that Serame is set to replace Tsogwane as vice president should the party retain its position after the 2024 general elections. To pave her way to the position reports the finance minister will reportedly run the Goodhope/Mabule constituency unopposed as the incumbent area MP Eric Molale is set retire from active politics before the 2024 general elections.
On the other hand, Tsogwane reportedly remain unshaken about the allegations and is keen to retain Boteti West so as to hold onto his position as vice president and ultimately ascend to the presidency.
Reaffirming Tsogwane as his vice at the BDP’s 59th National Council and Extraordinary Congress held in Palapye over the weekend, Masisi accused the opposition for using the media to spread such false reports.
“If other parties fail to compete with us what is left for them is to ask help and they are assisted by some journalist to fake news like they usually report that I want to remove Slumber as my vice president and replace him with Serame. There is no truth in that, Peggy won’t be my vice president,” Masisi said assuring democrats that Tsogwane remains his VP. The president quipped that he is not party to any discussions that Tsogwane and Serame may be having separately regarding the vice president position.
Still at the congress, BDP chairman, Slumber Tsogwane expressed concern that democrats became less vocal on the party promises after the 2019 general elections. Tsogwane criticised members of the ruling party for having not spoken much on the party promises especially those that the BDP has achieved.
He lamented that this setback consequently allowed the opposition to dictate the narrative and derailed the success story of the party. “We became politically inactive even during the by-elections, I have observed that. I have learnt a lot about all of you and you must know that I know all of you,” said Tsogwane.
The BDP has suffered an embarrassing defeat during the past by-elections losing even wards and constituencies that they won in the 2019 general elections.
Tsogwane is of the view that their experience post the 2019 elections will define the party’s 2024 rating. “A question to us is that are we still a winning team,” he asked advising that for the BDP to remain a winning team they need to rally behind their president work as a team. The chairman said the party must give honour to president Masisi for having worked relentlessly leading them to a win in 2019.
Tsogwane said congress gave them an opportunity to reflect on their political and organizational journey noting that they have another opportunity to do better in 2024 than they did in 2019. He advised that as a party there is need for them to respond to the changing paradigm of competition regarding the 2024 elections.
“The national council provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our policies, discuss new challenges and provide solutions that place our party ahead of our competitors,” the vice president said.
