– Party veterans see Masisi as vital to reviving the BDP – They say his experience and profile could unify the party – Claim Mpho Balopi’s weaknesses raise worries for 2029 – Masisi may be asked but likely to decline, favors statesman role – If he refuses, two ex-ministers and Letsholo are next picks Behind the scenes of Botswana’s political arena, a quiet yet determined movement is taking shape within the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Senior figures and venerable party veterans are coalescing in an effort to persuade former President Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi to reconsider his political retreat and contest the party presidency at the upcoming elective congress slated for 2027.
This initiative unfolds against the backdrop of palpable unease following the BDP’s unprecedented loss in the 2024 general elections, a dramatic event that ended the party’s unbroken six-decade grip on power. Masisi, who steered the party through that fateful election, made the telling decision not to seek re-election as party president during the 2025 congress in Maun. This move was widely interpreted as a tacit acknowledgment of the simmering discontent and disillusionment roiling within the party ranks.
In Masisi’s stead, former Secretary General and Cabinet Minister Mpho Balopi emerged victorious in the contest for party leadership, besting former chairman Slumber Tsogwane and Ame Makoba. His ascension was initially heralded as a generational shift and a potential inflection point for renewal. Yet, scarcely a year into his tenure, fissures have begun to surface.
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Voices from within the party’s elder statesmen and rank-and-file alike express growing concern that under Balopi’s stewardship, the BDP struggles to regain its electoral footing. Internal dialogues have spotlighted disappointing by-election results and grassroots feedback as clear signals that the party remains fragile and far from electoral recovery. Proponents of Balopi urge patience, insisting it is premature to render judgment, but detractors warn that the warning signs are unmistakable.
Beyond electoral woes, the specter of looming legal entanglements surrounding the current party president has cast a shadow over the party’s stability. Insiders fear that potential court proceedings could erupt at a critical juncture, destabilizing efforts to rebuild momentum ahead of the 2029 general elections. “We cannot afford a situation where our leader is dragged in and out of court while the party is trying to rebuild and campaign,” confided one senior member.
“We must plan ahead. The idea is to have an alternative leadership option that is clean and credible.” It is within this climate of uncertainty that Masisi’s name has resurfaced as a beacon of hope. Despite the weight of the 2024 defeat, several party elders maintain that Masisi remains uniquely poised, by virtue of his stature, experience, and national profile, to knit the party back together and restore public confidence.
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