Africa-Press – Botswana. The new governing party in Botswana, the Botswana National Front, is on a charm offensive to foster unity with neighboring countries. To that end, both the Economic Freedom Fighters and the African National Congress, were invited to attend the party’s first conference in Palapye this past weekend.
The BNF rose to power after the 2024 elections, overtaking the Botswana Democratic Party, that had governed the country for more than five decades.
Duma Boko, a legal mind in Botswana, exchanged his gowns for occupying the highest office in the land. As a human rights activist, Boko has always aspired to see a united Africa. He demonstrated this by inviting both the ANC and the EFF to the conference.
“The Economic Freedom Fighters, the African National Congress, all of them, must step up in order to step back, and reflect on the existential threat that faces their country and the rest of the region and indeed the continent. And when they do, I hope they rise up above and beyond some of these differences and realize that what unites them is bigger and stronger than anything that could divide them,” says Boko.
EFF leader Julius Malema was once declared persona non grata in Botswana after he had questioned the government on its relationship with the United States, particularly on its military activities which also led to his expulsion from the ANC.
However, since then, he is free to visit Botswana, and while he didn’t attend the conference, the party’s deputy president, Godrich Gardee, was in attendance.
“We are afraid, comrade president. The military base of the United States in Botswana is a threat to the existence of South Africa. Because the Economic Freedom Fighters will take over that country in no time, and by that time, they will still be in the soil of Botswana. And it will take them a second to bomb the Union Buildings of the EFF government. And in conclusion, comrade president, we appeal to you and the BNF and the alliance partners, to look at this issue,” says Gardee.
The ANC, that has a long-standing relationship with the BDP, had to come to terms with the recent political change in Botswana, and now has to accommodate the BNF as its sister party.
“We must be able to speak with one voice. We must be able to transform the institution of international government at the international level, especially at the UN. We must be able to go as south to south, the global south, as a force to transform those institutions, especially UN, especially IMF, and the World Bank. Those institutions need your leadership. You must also forge forces through your leadership. That’s why we’re here as the ANC to confirm that it will work with your organization,” says Andile Lungisa, ANC NEC Member.
The ANC will be hosting a variety of liberation organizations and friends of the party on the continent this weekend for the Liberation Movement Summit in Johannesburg.
The BDP and BNF are expected to be in attendance.
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