BPF Rift Deepens

Galebotswe faction rejects July congress, sets parallel meeting for August in Mahalapye An escalating power struggle within the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) has taken a dramatic turn, with one faction rejecting an elective congress called by interim president Dr Keorapetse Joy Muzila and instead announcing a parallel gathering slated for Mahalapye in August. The faction aligned to Lieutenant general (retired) Gaolatlhe Galebotswe has openly dismissed Dr Muzila’s authority, setting the stage for a potential showdown that could further fracture the party. Speaking in an interview with The Botswana Gazette, faction spokesperson Modiri Jojo Lucas said they do not recognize the legitimacy of the July 18 elective congress called by Dr Muzila.

Lucas argued that Dr Muzila has no constitutional standing to act as interim president, claiming she relinquished her leadership position when she resigned as vice president in November last year. “To our surprise, she is resurfacing from nowhere and claiming to be an interim president,” Lucas said. “There is nothing that qualifies her to hold that position.

The only position she could possibly claim is that of vice president, not president.” He further asserted that Dr Muzila is currently “just an ordinary BPF member without any portfolio,” urging party members to disregard her directive. “We are advising members to ignore her letter and instead focus on the elective congress we have scheduled for August 29 in Mahalapye,” he added. Lucas confirmed that their faction is moving ahead with preparations for the Mahalapye congress, which they insist is the legitimate platform to resolve the party’s leadership questions. The decision to convene a separate congress underscores the deepening divisions within the BPF, with both camps now laying claim to authority and legitimacy.