Interchangeable powers as Kapinga awaits fate
Mompati Tlhankane | Monday September 12, 2022 06:00
The BCP national conference held in Mahalapye two months ago took a decision to expel Kapinga alongside Leader of Opposition (LOO) Dithapelo Keorapetse, MP for Palapye Onneetse Ramogapi, MP for Nkange Dr Never Tshabang, and MP for Mahalapye West David Tshere.
This week the BCP announced that Kapinga has applied for readmission into the party, something they will consider. Not long after the national conference showed Kapinga and company the door, the BCP says they are elated to have received Kapinga’s application for readmission into the party, through the party’s Okavango constituency.
“The CC of the BCP met on September 5, 2022 to consider Kapinga’s application, and resolved that consistent with the spirit of the position communicated at the Mahalapye conference in July 2022 to welcome back any of the five MPs that the conference expelled should they decide to re-join the Party,” reads a BCP press statement released this week.
Contacted for clarification about the powers of the CC over the national conference, BCP spokesperson Mpho Pheko explained that the CC is empowered to take decisions in between conferences. “When conference meets, it can vary, adopt or reverse any decision of the CC. In between conferences, the CC is the supreme decision-making body,” she highlighted.
Asked why the CC is now overturning the conference decision to cater for the readmission of Kapinga into the party, Pheko indicated that the BCP constitution provides for readmission of those who may have lost their membership.
She says the CC is empowered to decide on application for readmission. The BCP has also revealed that Kapinga’s application is welcome without reservation. According to article 15.2 of the BCP constitution, the CC shall have the power to pardon a member whose expulsion has been recommended by the disciplinary committee. But such decision shall be subject to review by the National Elective or National conference.
“The party leadership should engage the North West regional committee and the Okavango constituency committee to iron out any routine process issues to ensure administratively compliant decision-making.
The CC is grateful to Kapinga for the mature manner in which he has handled the process of reconciling with the Party. The CC looks forward to announcing the final decision in the shortest possible time,” further read the press statement from BCP. If the BCP CC decides to readmit Kapinga into the party, the same national conference which expelled him in the first place could reject the CC decision next year in July. The BCP constitution gives the national conference the power to confirm, amend, repudiate or revoke any decision made by any organ of the party including the CC.
In addition, the national conference has the power to review and assess the overall activity and development in the party between conferences. The national conference is responsible for, inter alia; in between conferences the policy direction and control of the party.
Amongst others the national conference evaluates the work of the CC by considering and adopting reports and resolutions made by conference or any organ of the party.
The national conference also determines the basic orientation of the party and decides on all important matters of internal policy and the basic courses of activity in national and international affairs. Before the MPs were expelled, the BCP president Dumelang Saleshando revealed that in terms of their governance protocols, he did not have the authority to commit to the issue of lifting the suspension of the suspended MPs. “They were duly suspended by the CC and their fate lies in the hands of the CC and the national conference,” Saleshando told the conference in Mahalapye few hours before they were expelled.