UDC finally devise strategies for October polls

Source: Mmegi Online
Author: Tsaone Basimanebotlhe

PALAPYE: On Sunday, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) affiliates, comprising the Botswana National Front (BNF), the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP), and the Alliance for Progressive (AP), gathered here to devise strategies for the upcoming elections. The parties discussed how the election would unfold and how the parties would initiate aggressive campaigns.

Only the central committee members of the parties attended the meeting. Recently, the UDC has been relatively quiet when it comes to election activities. This silence has led many to questioning whether the UDC is genuinely aiming to win or if it has become content with being the second or third opposition party. In the 2014 and 2019 General Elections, by this time the UDC was ahead with campaigns compared to all the other parties and it was well resourced. Again, most of the primary elections were done a year before the general election, as compared to what is happening this year. The UDC president, Duma Boko, had called for all affiliates' central committees to convene and discuss strategic patterns for strong campaigns and effective recruitments. Another critical issue on the agenda was election funding, fund raising, and plans for the manifesto launch. As the UDC prepares to launch its manifesto and unveil some candidates, internal conflicts over wards and constituencies remain unresolved. Over the weekend, the president urged members to address any issues or obstacles that could impede UDC's campaign efforts.

He encouraged all the party central committees to work diligently in their assigned constituencies to secure victory. However, all parties were asked to have finish any pending primary elections since training for candidates and campaign teams are about to start. The secretary-generals are expected to manage some of the internal issues the parties face. According to a source, each party has been tasked with setting specific targets for the number of constituencies and council seats it aims to win. The UDC affiliates were instructed not to attack the BPF and to cooperate with them in their constituencies if necessary. According to a source, the UDC leader stressed the importance of opposition party cooperation and cautioned against greed. He highlighted that if all opposition parties compete in the same areas, it would give the BDP an advantage. Mmegi has learned that in areas like Serowe, the BPF and the BNF are quietly exploring ways to cooperate. The BNF indicated it would contest if the BPF did not concede certain wards. The 2019 general election results showed that the BPF won some constituencies by slim margins. If the UDC and BPF compete against each other, the BDP could easily win those constituencies and wards. Other constituencies that might give the BDP an advantage if the UDC and BPF compete against each other include Mahalapye and some of their wards.