BPF: The power struggle persists
Innocent Selatlhwa | Monday July 17, 2023 06:00
Led by former president Ian Khama, as its patron the party initially gained traction as a stronghold for Khama's supporters, with party merchandise prominently featuring his image. However, as the party celebrates its fourth anniversary this month, it finds itself embroiled in internal conflicts rather than rejoicing over its successes.
The BPF had hoped to celebrate a victory in the Serowe West constituency, but the battle for leadership between Ian Khama and supposedly suspended President Biggie Butale has overshadowed any potential triumph. One of the factors leading to Khama's departure from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) was his desire to play a prominent role within the party, including being its public face.
When the BPF was formed, it remained unclear whether Khama would assume a leadership position or become an ordinary member. It was only a year later, in July 2020, that he announced his membership for the Serowe West Constituency. Prior to the 2019 general elections, Khama toured the country, campaigning for BPF as its Patron.
Despite the limited time for preparation, the BPF managed to secure three parliamentary seats in Serowe, where Khama's influence was believed to have played a crucial role. Furthermore, in some regions where Khama supported candidates from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), they emerged victorious.
In May 2021, the BPF's National Executive Council (NEC) suspended Biggie Butale for a month to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against him. He was accused of attempting to rape a 22-year-old student from Botswana University of Agriculture.
His hearing was supposed to be in May 2021. The hearing was then postponed to July, 2021. In July, the party postponed the hearing indefinitely. Butale would later be slapped with a suspension pending his disciplinary hearing. In September 2021, the party said it could have long called Butale for a hearing, but COVID-19 restrictions had proven to be a challenge. He was also accused of convening a meeting aimed at paralysing the BPF at a farm near Mahalapye. Butale maintained his innocence on all charges. The former Tati West legislator and his supporters believed that the charges against him were just a ploy to get rid of him as BPF president. It was also highly believed that Butale, who was ushered in as BPF president in 2019, was never the preferred choice for the party presidency. They avered that he was just a decoy towards the substantive. Secretary-general (Tshekedi Khama) and businessman Samson Guma were at the time linked with the BPF presidency.
After a year, the party's Disciplinary Committee (DC) pardoned Butale, allowing him to return as an ordinary member, not as the president. However, Butale prematurely resumed his presidential duties, which led to a legal battle against then-acting president Caroline Lesang. The Lobatse High Court ruled in favor of Lesang, reaffirming her claim to the presidency after Butale's pardon.
This year, tensions within the BPF escalated further. Butale allegedly threatened to resign from the party during an NEC meeting in March 2023. Following his suspension, Butale challenged the decision in court, seeking to legitimize his presidency. In April, he emerged victorious, successfully defending his position as president.
Amidst the internal divisions, the BPF held its national conference and extraordinary congress in Gaborone, making key decisions without the involvement of Khama and his faction. While Khama has expressed his presidential ambitions for the BPF, the congress resolved to maintain Butale and the current NEC in office, leading the party into the 2024 General Election.
However, the peace between the factions was short-lived. Khama publicly attacked Butale during a rally, expressing his disapproval of taking legal action against him. Subsequently, a NEC meeting was held without Butale, resulting in his suspension. In response, Butale filed a legal complaint, alleging contempt of court and demanding the imprisonment of those involved, including Khama. Butale filed an urgent application before the Lobatse High Court where he sought orders amongst others that his suspension on June 5 be stayed pending the determination of the application. In the end, Butale prevailed when Lobatse High Court judge, Michael Motlhabi on late Friday issued a rule nisi ordering that his suspension letter be stayed pending the determination of the application in September. As the factions battled it out in court, they were simultaneously working towards winning the Serowe West by-election.
Unfortunately for the BPF, their recent victory in the Serowe West by-election was overshadowed by more troubles. Butale received a suspension letter from the party's disciplinary committee on July 4, 2023. The letter cited allegations of campaigning against the party, failure to declare funds, and collaboration with party rivals to destabilize the BPF.
In response, Butale retaliated by serving recall and suspension letters to three executive committee members and two others, including his vice president Mephato Reatile and the secretary for information and publicity Lawrence Ookeditse. He accused them of indiscipline, insubordination, and causing divisions within the party, endangering its reputation and survival.
While one would have thought enough has already happened, the BPF NEC yesterday (Thursday) expelled Butale and another NEC member Moiseraela Goya. “On the 4th of July 2023, the Disciplinary Committee wrote a letter suspending Butale and Goya from the BPF pending disciplinary hearing on basis of allegations levelled against them by the BPF Youth League. Subsequent to this, the Disciplinary Committee received letters of complaint over violation of the conditions of suspension. The Disciplinary Committee has prima facie evidence of this through recorded videos and voice notes, and as they participated in or convened a meeting in Palapye presenting themselves as members of the BPF NEC and BPF despite their suspensions,” reads a letter to BPF structures. According to the letter, the duo proceeded to convene and or participate in another meeting at Mahalapye on the 10th of July 2023 with BPF members and people who had resigned from the party such as one Pelotlhomogi Ntebang among others. In addition to this, Butale allegedly wrote a letter wherein he informs members of the party that he is not suspended, and went further to field radio interviews wherein he dismissed his suspension. “Structures are informed that pursuant to these complaints, the Disciplinary Committee, with a quorum of 5 members met on the 12th of July 2023 to consider the complaints. Pursuant to Clause 40.5.4 of the BPF Constitution, the Disciplinary Committee recommended to the NEC that Butale and Goya be expelled from the BPF. At its emergency meeting of the 13th July 2023, the National Executive Committee in quorum endorsed the recommendation of the Disciplinary Committee to expel Butale and Goya,” they wrote. The letter was authored by the party Secretary General Tshekedi Khama who further stated that the NEC led by Acting President Mephato Reatile will do everything to stabilise the party while working on convening a national congress and focusing on winning the 2024 election with theirr UDC and AP partners. The ongoing conflict within the BPF may soon find its way to the courts, as the involved parties seek legal clarity and resolution. The final court determination for contempt of court, expected on September 22, 2023, could potentially lead to the permanent break away of the party, further deepening the divisions within Botswana's political landscape.