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FM AMEMBASSY GABORONE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5633
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GABORONE 000189 
 
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 
 
GABORONE 00000189  002 OF 002 
 
 
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