BPF to punish Butale sympathisers
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday September 20, 2021 06:00
Some members of BPF this week openly criticised party patron and former president Ian Khama and his brother Tshekedi Khama. The Khama brothers are accused of destabilising the party and dividing it through Butale’s suspension.
The concerned members are demanding that the BPF national executive committee (NEC) should reinstate Butale, who was recently suspended for sexual misconduct.
“Our party members have duties and responsibilities as per the party constitution. It also allows members the freedom to do constructive criticism against each other at duly constituted meetings in the structures of the party,” BPF spokesperson, Lawrence Ookeditse said in an interview on Thursday.
“But at all times patriots should be mindful of the thin line between freedom of speech and to de-campaign the party. No one in this party has ever been treated on basis of tribal affiliation. It is simply not true.”
One of the outspoken BPF members, Rodger Mphafe wrote to the party secretary-general (SG) Khama saying; “Sir ever since you became SG of BPF we no longer know if the party is going or coming. There is no peace in our party. There is no co-ordination nor a clear path as to where we are going and or want to achieve. You have caused so much confusion in this party. Your desperation to remove our party president Butale has reached a point where we can’t and won’t keep quiet anymore.”
In his letter, Mphafe said the party owes a certain Mathomola P40, 000.00 which was attracted before he (Khama) joined BPF but to their shock, Butale is now the one who is said to be owing the person.
He said Khama only joined the BPF to rescue his political career and he does not have any good intentions for the party. In his response to the letter through WhatsApp, Khama acknowledged the email and requested to meet Ratsie in person if he is willing to discuss the issue.
Another member of the BPF, Ogaufi Nthobelang said the party has damaged Butale’s image, “destroyed his marriage, rendered him a useless man in front of his children, projected him to the world as a pastor who serves the kingdom of darkness just because of the BPF presidency. The damage caused on Butale can’t be repaired by the BPF presidency. No one will remove Butale from the BPF presidency through shady deals, fabricated and cooked evidence by those who accepted to be used as hired guns to fight for the removal of Butale from the BPF presidency.”
Nthobelang said the BPF has denied Butale justice and followed unconstitutional proceedings to suspend him from the party. He said this has clearly shown Batswana that the BPF NEC is working hard with different strategies to remove Butale from the party presidency.
He said all allegations levelled against Butale are false and should not be entertained by all lower party structures.
Butale is still waiting for a disciplinary hearing to be scheduled by the party disciplinary committee.