Kentse Rammidi

"There was a lot of dissatisfaction within the party."

"What is the use of holding on to a Cabinet position only to be voted out of power in 2014. A Secretary General can make a party win or lose elections."

"You do not win elections through a strong government; it is a strong party that wins you an election. When we went to the elections in 2009 Lobatse was a huge construction site. In as far as government programmes are concerned we were doing very well, but our position as a party was weak because of the internal squabbles. That is why we lost that Constituency."

"As the BDP we would be in denial if we do not accept that the formation of the BMD poses a threat for us in the next election."

"I cannot place these people in the political landscape of this country. I however believe that these are scores of apolitical voters who have now found a home in the BMD. These swing voters are a very important constituency that may decide who wins the next election."

"I have a connection with the people."

"We should debate and consider the issue of political party funding. People of this country should fund the democracy that they enjoy. These are some of the contemporary issues that we need to address or risk becoming irrelevant to the current political thinking."

"It is one thing to have a law and another to understand it. Dikgosi are the most appropriate people to engage as they have better access to the communities and the parents of the children. You must not only address the councillors, people will look at it like a political matter and leave it like that."

"Some of the things were said because tempers were high. We are not going to act haphazardly. The Central Committee will still go back to them on some of the issues and how they view them."

"Unfortunately, he is now a chief and can no longer go back to politics."

"I am not talking to the BDP and I am not interested. I still think they are a joke."

"Who in their right mind would at this time join a party that is on its knees? Who in their sound political judgment would at this time join a party that is creating such a mess with the lives of so many students? I am a serious politician. The BDP is destroying the future of young Batswana."

"And I did not resign from the BDP because I wanted any favours. I am happy at the BCP and I am ready to take on the BDP on a political battle in the Kanye North constituency."

"I had started to lose interest in politics. Since joining Botswana Congress Party I have once again reconnected with my enthusiasm for politics."

"Having gone through a conference and having experienced a campaign under the BCP I feel a renewed energy. I was beginning to lose confidence in politics. I feel good that I have found people who have conviction."

"We call these experts the parliamentary support group. They are very enriching and they bring with them the quality that you hear among our debates. I now enjoy parliament."

"My answer is always the same; the BDP has run out of steam. I don’t regret leaving the BDP, not a bit. That party has lost focus."

"With all their resources the BDP is not doing well. If you take the recent by-election at Francistown we had a new candidate while the BDP’s knew his way around. For us it was a defeat but it was not embarrassing."

"These problems are too big to be resolved by backyard gardens. We shouldn’t be threatened by BDP freebies. Very soon people will see that a blanket is not going to change my life."

"That said I still believe that the BCP has a chance of about 20 constituencies in the 2014 elections. Clearly the show is on, especially for the 2019 General elections."

"We have to spread to new areas, especially the south of the country. Admittedly the crown may not be possible in 2014 but growth will be there, especially in areas where the BCP did not exist before."

"The approach will not bear any fruits. Trying to fix or calibrate a piece of equipment that you did not design or you are not trained to fix will be a total disaster."