‘Thuggish’ Madibela Tlhopho will get in line – Masisi
Mompati Tlhankane | Monday September 11, 2023 06:00
Madibela Tlhopho is an arrangement endorsed by the UDC national executive committee (NEC) and has been presenting itself as the angels of the electoral system despite being painted as hooligans following their clash with armed security during a by-election in Serowe West constituency in July.
Masisi, who was speaking at the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) national council and extra-ordinary congress in Palapye recently, said they do not condone lawlessness. “BDP {Botswana Democratic Party} members should behave themselves. We will see these people and their characters. As you can see they were training Madibela Tlhopho as if it is the first time a vote is protected.
E dibelwa ka ntwa le bogale, boganana le boganka,” Masisi told BDP members. Masisi pointed out that Madibela Tlhopho will get in line. He said if Madibela Tlhopho are not trained they will be trained. “We are not going to be threatened”.
He said he suspects that the same people who burnt Kgotla Autlwetse’s car are the same ones who recently burnt Kgosi Gasebalwe Seretse’s house in Pilikwe and burnt Serowe District Council building. He said he suspected that these people are the same ones who further forced Bangwato regent Serogola Seretse to relocate. He said Botswana is not a jungle, therefore, these people will be dealt with. “Re Botswana, gago itaolwe, ga go kgathalesege gore o mang o rora gole kae, o tla tshwanelwa ke gore o obamela molao,” Masisi emphasised.
He said if they catch people behind all these lawless acts of burning people’s houses, the culprits will face the wrath of the law. Asked to comment on Masisi's utterances, UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa said it is not surprising because his government thrives on misinformation, untruths and character assassination of opponents. "This is a highly imaginative and creative statement.
The BDP government is well known for its harassment of its opponents. We believe this is a pretext or an excuse as they prepare to unleash terror on the opposition. We condemn violence in all its manifestation, whether perpetrated by individuals, organisations or the state," Mohwasa highlighted. Madibela Tlhopho is UDC president Duma Boko’s project as he has always remained adamant in his belief that the 2019 General Election was rigged by the ruling BDP. Boko has in the past emphasised that force will be used if necessary to protect Batswana’s votes.
He warned would-be election fraudsters adding that the latter could lose their lives because what they are doing is disrespecting and trampling on people’s lives. Boko stressed that it is necessary for Madibela Tlhopho to use force when someone attempts to rig elections. “When you do that you will be protecting the Constitution of Botswana itself and promoting democracy," Boko told a group of UDC members when he launched the project few months ago in Palapye. “Yo o tla lekang go tsietsa mo ditlhophong o tshwanentse a kgorelediwe; ha ele gore o nna mongala go dirisiwe dikgoka tse di lekaneng go mo kgwabohatsa le go mo itsa go dira tsietso (Whoever tries to steal elections should be impeded, if they are obstinate we should use the same force to tame or thwart their cheating actions),” said Boko. Boko maintains that Madibela Tlhopho is a group that was formed because there was a need to protect votes, especially after what happened in the 2019 when the BDP stole elections. "It was the last time they stole elections.
In 2024 it will never happen again,” he highlighted. Boko even unveiled one Michael Keakopa as the leader of Madibela Tlhopho in Shoshong during the BNF annual conference in July.
“The discharge of this responsibility to defend the vote has seen the emergence of a movement of vigilant voters and defenders of democracy called Madibela Tlhopho, who have committed to undergo intensive training on the electoral process as laid out in the Electoral Act and then attend at every polling station to monitor closely to ensure that there is full accountability and no room for electoral fraud,” he highlighted.
Boko further cautioned that in the 2024 General Election, Madibela Tlhopho will not be playing around and whoever tries to rig elections will suffer the repercussions. Moreover, Boko said the Madibela Tlhopho job is big, therefore they need organised and disciplined people. Boko disclosed that Madibela Tlhopho also includes intelligence experts who will detect ulterior moves from a mile away.