Congress to determine BPF’s alliance with UDC
The Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) is heading towards its elective congress on November 1 in Serowe, a crucial moment that will determine its future.
The party is at a crossroads, with a choice between reclaiming a seat at the ruling coalition’s table or continuing on a solitary path.
The contest between incumbent president Mephato Reatile and secretary-general Lawrence Ookeditse is a struggle for the ideological and strategic soul of the BPF.
The BPF was born out of dissent, a breakaway movement from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), carrying with it both the promise of reform and the burden of fragmentation.
Under Reatile’s leadership, the party made a decision to pull out of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition before the 2024 general election.
Author’s summary: BPF’s congress will determine its alliance with UDC.