Galebotswe’s faction returns to fight for BPF’s soul

The infighting at BPF, which began last year after the controversial party congress, has escalated into a full-scale legal and political war. The congress, held in Serowe, sparked chaos after allegations of irregularities and the exclusion of certain factions. Some members, disillusioned by the process, boycotted the congress, whilst others rejected the legitimacy of those who participated and voted.

In the aftermath, the newly elected National Executive Committee (NEC), led by Lawrence Ookeditse, filed an urgent application to the court, seeking an interim order to prevent the opposing faction from recognising itself as the official NEC. These are not ordinary times. Yet, history reminds us that this nation has navigated difficult waters before and did so by clinging firmly to the principles of prudence and macroeconomic stability.

From independence in 1966, Botswana chose a path few resource-rich countries managed to sustain. Diamond revenues were not treated as windfalls for reckless expansion, but as capital to be managed with caution. The establishment of fiscal rules,…