University of Botswana (UB) students political movements has once again showed their elders how it is done. Reaching an agreement ahead of national opposition parties, University of Botswana Umbrella for Democratic Change (UB-UDC)- Moono wa Baithuti and University of Botswana Alliance for Progressives (UB- AP)- UB Progressives says this is challenge to their elders to do the same.
“This coming together of studentsβ movements which are affiliates of the opposition parties is an indication that the opposition can no longer afford to be in disarray while the BDP continues to misgovern the country. It is a demonstration by the younger generation that time has come that the Umbrella for Democratic Change should embrace other opposition parties of goodwill in unseating the corrupt and moribund BDP led government.” they declared.
Going a bit back in history, Moono wa Baithuti and the University of Botswana Congress for Democracy- Botswana Congress Party (UBCD-BCP) tied the knot and got under the same umbrella before the national opposition parties could achieve the same.
After the lengthy negotiations that commenced on April 2020, the two movements have finally concluded the cooperation talks on the thirty-first (31) of January ahead of 2021/2022 Student Representative Council (SRC) Elections. However, the “agreement shall be subject to review and renewal as when both movements may seem fit.”
The two movements say that they have come together to unseat the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP GS26) which won the Presidency seat in the last SRC elections.
“The movements hope to be given a chance to restore the integrity, willingness to serve and dignity in the student representative council, values which depreciated when the leading of the council landed on the visionless movement; GS26 of the BDP.” reads a communique signed by Moono wa Baithuti Chairperson- Karabo Matonkomane and UB Progressives President-Arnold B. Kelebale.
Meanwhile, the idea of unifying all opposition parties under UDC and form a total merger is causing divisions and bad blood among the UDC major contracting parties- Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP). The parties that are still outside the UDC fold are Alliance for Progressives (AP), Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and Real Alternative Party (RAP) among others. Will the national parties follow suit once again and unite? We will be on the lookout.
