On the table at the party office were two opposing letters addressed to the party secretary general, Daniel Kwelagobe. The first was a protest by Francistown Mayor Peter Ngoma against his defeat by area legislator, Tshelang Masisi in the race for the BDP ticket for the constituency.
The other was a response by Masisi defending his victory. Ngoma did not accept the results citing irregularities. In his letter he accuses Masisi and his supporters of rigging the elections.
He said some of Masisi’s supporters used identities other than the stipulated Omang card. “At least one voter used a University of Botswana card instead of the Omang card to vote. This was not my supporter,” reads Ngoma’s letter. It stated that a council candidate allied to Masisi, Ignatius Moswaane violated the regulations of primaries by promising voters P500 cheques, if they voted for him. Moswaane is also alleged to have promised to re-roof the house of one of Ngoma’s supporters if he votes for him. “There was rioting by supporters of Masisi and despite pleas for calm, the situation went from bad to worse. My supporters were intimidated,” said Ngoma. Masisi’s supporters were accused of openly campaigning at the polling stations.
In his response letter, Masisi rubbished all the Ngoma claims as unfounded and without substance. He dismissed claims that he was caught red handed at Tsholetsa House-the BDP head office with the party Executive Secretary, Botsalo Ntuane, fiddling with records.
“I don’t know that a voter used a UB card as that is the problem of the presiding officer,” said Masisi. He accused Ngoma’s supporters of campaigning openly. Insiders told Mmegi yesterday that the two documents formed the basis of the meeting. The two opposing factions went into the meeting fully determined to defend their positions. According to an informed source, the Masisi faction is determined to prevail over the bruised Ngoma faction.
Besides Ngoma, the deputy Mayor Angelinah Sengalo lost her bid for re-election. Other sitting councillors in the Ngoma faction who lost the primaries include Laedza Maguswi and Albert Mudanga. The civic leaders are rallying behind Ngoma’s case hoping that it will save them.
Yesterday’s meeting came after another between one between Ngoma, Masisi and Kwelagobe in Gaborone. The two meetings have failed to reconcile the rival factions. “You can guess how the whole thing went. If the party stalwart (Kwelagobe) has failed to reconcile these two factions, then we better forget,” said a party source. Immediately after Kwelagobe’s meeting, Masisi accused Ngoma of forming a political party. Ngoma fired back and accused Masisi of conniving with the opposition Botswana Congress Party (BCP) to win the party primaries. “Masisi’s supporters were behaving as if they have actually won the general elections. They are already posing as civic leaders and this is wrong as the general elections are still far,” said a pro-Ngoma man.
