Botswana Political Briefs February 2009

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SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

STATE FOR AF/S, AF/RSA, PRM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREF SCUL SOCI BC
SUBJECT: Botswana Political Briefs February 2009

REF: Gaborone 96


1. (U) The following is a compilation of February 2009 political
highlights from Botswana. This cable covers:

- University of Botswana Re-Opens
- First Cholera Death Reported in Botswana
- Red Cross Completes Refugee Fund Project
- BDP May Change Party Leadership Rules
- BDP Wants to Improve its Popular Vote Share

University of Botswana Re-Opens
--------------

2. (U) The University of Botswana re-opened on February 16 after
two weeks without classes following student unrest (reftel). After
the university was closed February 4, two members of the Student
Representative Council (SRC, the UB's student government
organization) were expelled on accusations of having incited
violence among the student body. However, the expelled students
took their case to the Botswana High Court claiming that the
university had expelled them improperly by not following procedures.
The High Court Judge agreed with the students and found in their
favor, nullifying the expulsion and sending the two student
government leaders back to school. However, when the campus
re-opened on February 16, the Vice Chancellor announced that all the
SRC members (including the two who had previously been expelled and
reinstated) were being suspended pending a university disciplinary
hearing to review the SRC leaders' role in the disturbances. A date
for the disciplinary hearing has not yet been set. Some students
have reportedly threatened to go on strike again demanding that the
SRC members' suspension be lifted. In another university
controversy, the UB's Academic and Senior Support Staff Union
(UBASSSU) called on the Vice Chancellor to resign following the
closure of the university. The UBASSSU has passed a vote of no
confidence on the Vice Chancellor and his senior management, blaming
their poor handling of student complaints and unrest for the
two-week closure of the university.


First Reported Cholera Death
--------------

3. (U) The Botswana Press Agency reported February 19 that a
Zimbabwean woman died of cholera on February 13 at a local hospital.
This is the first reported cholera death in Botswana during the
current regional outbreak, though approximately ten patients have
tested positive for the disease and been treated and released.


Red Cross Completes Refugee Fund Project
--------------

4. (U) The Botswana Red Cross Society (BRCS) has completed the
construction of 40 new latrines at the Dukwe Refugee Camp. This
project was funded under the State Department's Julia Taft Refugee
Fund in 2008. The construction started in August 2008 and finished
in February 2009. Thanks to the project, 40 refugee families (248
people) have improved access to sanitation. The construction of
these latrines created jobs for 8 brick-layers and 4 brick molders,
all of whom were refugees from the camp. Other refugees from Dukwe
Camp participated in construction by providing labor, which helped
to instill a sense of ownership by the refugees for the project.


BDP May Change Party Leadership Rules
--------------

5. (U) The President and leader of the ruling Botswana Democratic
Party (BDP),Seretse Khama Ian Khama, has announced a proposal which
would prevent BDP parliamentary and council candidates from also
standing for positions in the Central Committee of BDP. At the BDP
Central Committee meeting on February 2, President Ian Khama started
to lobby for an abolition of "holding dual roles" (i.e. serving both
on the BDP Central Committee and holding elected government office
at the same time). If Khama's proposal is approved, BDP members
running for parliamentary seats during the 2009 general election
would be barred from contesting position in the party's Central
Committee. Positions on the BDP Central Committee should fall
vacant in July 2009, when the party is scheduled to hold a congress
which would include the election of Central Committee members. The
Executive Secretary of BDP Dr. Comma Serema says President Khama has
recommended the strategy of not holding dual positions to the Party
Congress and if approved, only Khama himself will serve in both
parliament and the party's Central Committee.


6. (SBU) Comment: Ian Khama was recruited from the Botswana Defense
Force (BDF) to the ruling party in 1998 by the then President Festus
Mogae to try and unify the BDP, a party which has been riddled with
factions. There are two main factions in the party, one headed by
(current Vice President) Mompati Merafhe and Jacob Nkate (currently

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Minister of Education and Skills Development) and the other faction
led by Daniel Kwelagobe (currently Public Service Minister) and
Ponatshego Kedikilwe (Minerals, Energy and Water Resources
Minister). When Khama became President, he attempted to balance the
two factions by making Merafhe his Vice President and Kwelagobe both
a Minister and the Chairman of BDP. Despite this attempt to keep
both factions in check, President Khama is said to be worried by the
intensifying animosity between them. With the general election only
months away, there seems to be more acrimony between BDP members of
different factions than between the BDP and the opposition parties.
For example, under current rules, Kwelagobe and Merafhe are expected
to take each other head-on for the position of National Chairman of
the BDP during the July party congress.


7. (SBU) Comment Continued: In the BDP, 80% of current Central
Committee members are either parliamentarians or councilors. If the
party congress adopts Khama's idea abolishing "dual roles", the BDP
will no longer have Central Committee members who are
parliamentarians or councilors after its July congress. Then, it is
hoped, the factions in the party will be weakened.


BDP Wants to Improve its Popular Vote Share
--------------

8. (U) In an effort to bolster the BDP's popular vote percentage in
the 2009 general election, the party has appointed President Khama
as its "Chief Campaigner". BDP Executive Secretary Dr. Comma Serema
said that the party is worried by the growing number of
constituencies that have become "marginal" for the BDP (i.e.
constituencies with increased opposition support). Serema told
Poloffs that the party's internal goal is to increase the BDP's
share of the popular vote in 2009, after it has declined over the
past few election cycles. During the 2004 general elections, the
BDP won only 52% of Botswana's popular vote. However, thanks to
Botswana's single-member district, first-past the post system, the
BDP won 44 of Botswana's 57 elected Parliamentary seats, a strong
majority in the legislature.

NOLAN