The Chairman, Rre Mmono
Members of the Executive committee
Members of the Federal Council and all Protocol observed

With humility I accept the office of National Leader or President, if you will, of the United Christian Democratic Party which has been entrusted to me by the Federal Council on the mandate of the Constitution of the party.

As ‘n span aanvaar ons die verantwoordelikheid wat aan ons toegedra word. Ons gaan ons pligte met nederigheid en toewyding probeer nakom. Ons sal werk om die vertroue wat in ons gestel is oor die volgende twee jaar wat oorbly vir die termyn van hierdie komitee.

Luxanduva olukhulu – kwaye ndizimisele ukuba xa ndisenza imisebenzi yam ndiza kucinga ngani nangezinto enifuna ukuba ndinenzele zona.

[This is a great responsibility and I am committed, in the execution of my duties, to earn the confidence you have placed on me]

We look forward to the remaining term of office for this committee and I draw strength that I will be serving as part of a committed team.

We have a mandate from members of the UCDP to work towards achieving our vision of a Christian party that is a home for all, a party that is non-racist and non-sexist. This party should eliminate all benign discriminatory tendencies of ethnicity, tribalism, regionalism and friendship.

To succeed in running the party we shall depend on the party employees whom we call upon to rise to the occasion and not serve individuals and develop cult loyalty to whichever leader.

I am aware that many of you as regional leaders work under adverse conditions in your areas where some parties hold sway over members of the communities you operate in.

Some of you, we are aware, are being held back by traditional leaders while others are hampered by some ignorant members in your communities who masquerade as ward committees and will not allow other political parties to hold meetings.

We call on you to know your constitutional rights and if need be to take further steps against such clots in the system of governance in this country. We should not wait until election year, 2014, before we hold branch meetings. Let our people meet regularly according to the schedule we have drawn

In my years in the world of work and politics I have learnt that electing the right people into the right positions, not necessarily friends, is an important determinant of good governance and administration.

Our administration will welcome committed members who understand that we have a duty to perform as the elected executive.

Jaaka khuduthamaga le keteledipele ya lekoko re ikemiseditsee go dira le batho botlhe ba ba amogelang se tlhopho ya bontsi e se kaileng ka go re tlhopha. Mongwe le mongwe yo o nyatsang e bile a lebelela khuduthamaga e kwa tlase ga go na pelaelo o tla kopana le lerwa le huduga.

We look forward to ensure that all levels of the party such as provinces, regions and branches are established and function as desired by the constitution of the party yet we shall oversee those levels in a spirit of cooperation and support.

When I deliver the State of the Party address on 29 January 2012 I will set out in some detail the challenges we face and what we must do to surmount them. For today in this acceptance speech I wanted to whet your appetite to look forward to 2 great years that remain for this executive to direct the party.

Working as a team, this revamped executive intends to do things differently for the better. Watch this space.