Kario expected to thrash Kgathi for BDP SG
Innocent Selatlhwa | Tuesday August 2, 2022 06:00
The elective congress is slated for Tsabong from August 26-28. This was after Vice President Slumber Tsogwane endorsed Kario as his preferred candidate for the coveted and influential position in the party.
Kario has confirmed his interest to contest for the secretary-general post after the incumbent Mpho Balopi announced that he would be stepping down at the congress.
To show that Kgathi, who is the incumbent deputy secretary-general, has lost favour with Tsogwane, he was kicked out of a meeting organised by the chairperson of the Francistown Region, Baemedi Medupi last weekend in Francistown.
This was a meeting of friends in support of Tsogwane and his team, and Kgathi, despite his status as Francistown Region’s member of the central committee, was shown the door when he arrived uninvited at the Adansonia Hotel. “Kgathi was not invited and he was made aware of this way before the meeting started as he had enquired.
His appearance at the meeting can therefore be correctly interpreted as mischievous and intended to create commotion and seek undeserved sympathy,” Medupi said at the time.
Other BDP members are suspicious of Kgathi who is seen as former president Ian Khama’s sympathiser. There are allegations that he did not take kindly to losing the 2018 primary elections and allegedly de-campaigned the ruling party during the general election in 2019.
At the recent BDP national congress, Tsogwane disclosed lobby list for the central committee and Kario as the secretary-general deputised by Lemogang Kwape if the wishes of the Vice President were to come true. Meanwhile, Kgathi says he is unshaken. “The pronouncement of a lobby list by leaders is undemocratic and unconstitutional. However, we remain on track. It seems like there is a crusade by the media to tarnish me. I am Domkrag with full rights like any other and will contest. There is nothing about suspending or expelling me from the party.
Furthermore, I have also noted indiscipline by some party cadres, which I decided to let go of. How can a regional chairperson reprimand a deputy secretary-general? I have since decided to let these go and focus on my campaign,” he said. Kgathi said he believes with his experience as a civil servant and also as a former minister, he would be able to transform Domkrag ahead of the 2024 general election. “There is a need for the party to be united more than ever as we face an uphill challenge of possibly a united opposition.
I believe I am ready to offer myself to serve the party and ensure victory in 2024. I have the requisite experience and it is now time to give back to the BDP, which has contributed a lot to my growth,” he said.
Kario, who said he was traveling, said: "We have many things planned all aimed at improving the electoral fortunes of the BDP but key among them will be our unapologetic resolve to promote unity among maDomkrag from now through 2024 and beyond. We will foster an all inclusive party to enhance our administrative capacity and ensure party to government synergies towards a jobs economy. We will improve training and political education of our members and empower party structures to ensure longevity of the party."