Butale’s final fight
Ryder Gabathuse | Monday October 9, 2023 06:00
Butale took the helm of the BPF in 2019, steering the then new kid on the political bloc. The attorney-cum-pastor-cum-politician’s initial stability crumbled when he fell out with the party patron and benefactor Khama. Shaken, Butale would never have a chance to recover as he suffers a scathing political career meltdown if recent events are anything to go by.
Known for his intolerance of dissenting views within the ruling the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Khama displayed a similar attitude toward Butale, reminiscent of his stance during the Barata Phathi faction’s victory in the BDP internal elections against the will of the party leadership.
Khama was quick not to recognise the late Gomolemo Motswaledi and the party leadership aligned to the faction. Khama’s intolerance saw Barata Phathi morphing into a political party called the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), which the majority of its pioneers would later take a U-turn to return to the ruling party, as things did not seem to work in their favour.
Today, the BMD is a shadow of its former self. It was not long after its formation that its members left the splinter party to form another, the Alliance for Progressives (AP), led by Ndaba Gaolathe whilst others retraced their steps back to the BDP.
Butale’s troubles at the BPF are largely attributed to Khama’s attitude, accusing him of resorting to court when disagreements arose. Khama publicly expressed his disdain for Butale’s legal actions during a virtual political rally in Serowe.
Despite Butale’s legal efforts, the BPF national congress officially expelled him and his close associate, Maser Goya.
Lately, it has become evident that Butale has exhausted all legal options under the sun to win back the coveted BPF presidency and any plan he hatches has seemingly hit a brick wall.
He has also probably tested the strength of his support base after traversing the length and breadth of the country. His regional meetings have culminated in a regional Pitso at Nanogang Junior Secondary School in Gaborone, which was attended by all regions loyal to him.
Although he denies plans to form a new party, the possibility remains open.
The BPF, a splinter party from the ruling BDP, was formed on the eve of the 2019 General Election and its performance under Butale was not the worst compared to other long-established political parties like the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP), which has been witnessing its political ship sinking to the lowest ebb. The party (BPP) has no single legislator to its name even under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) arrangement. It only has a few councillors to its name in the North East.
The BPF was birthed following a high-profile split in the ruling BDP after the historic Khama-President Mokgweetsi Masisi fallout when the latter ascended as the fifth State President.
Under the stewardship of Butale, the BPF, whose colour is sunrise yellow with a symbol of a watch or ‘Ke Nako’ tagline in the vernacular, won three seats in Serowe and legislator Reatile from Jwaneng-Mabutsane would later cross the floor from the ruling party to join the Butale-led party.
The BPF’s popular vote stood at about 34,068 votes at about 4.41 percent just on its first attempt.
Another new player in the political space, the AP, a splinter party from the BMD, which itself had also split from the BDP in 2010, had won a single seat in 2019 with an impressive popular vote of 39,561 votes, about 5.12 percent.
The Duma Boko-led UDC had garnered 15 parliamentary seats with a popular vote of about 277,071 votes (35.88%). The ruling party retained power via a popular vote of about 406,561 votes with an improved percentage, nearly 53% (52.65%). Interestingly, despite the BDP split in 2019, the party’s popular vote grew from a worrying 46.45% in the 2014 General Election when Khama himself was the helmsman to nearly 53%.
Khama’s ambitious party hit the ground running to oust Khama’s father, the late Sir Seretse Khama’s founded ruling party in the last 12 general elections.
Speaking to the newly elected BPF president this week, Reatile, he was adamant that the recent BPF elective congress has resolved to expel Butale and Goya from the party at a properly constituted meeting.
“The people have spoken at a well-attended party elective congress held at Ba Isago University in Gaborone. Now, we have realised that Butale needs urgent help politically,” Reatile told Mmegi.
His position is that before the party elective congress, Butale was raising allegations that he was the BPF president when he knew very well how it all ended.
“If he continues claiming the BPF presidency and conducting any political business in the name of the BPF, it will then call for legal action to prevent him from causing any further confusion,” he explained.
Reatile, the newly elected BPF president, asserts that Butale’s expulsion was a legitimate decision made at a well-attended party congress. Reatile aims to restore the BPF’s fortunes and expand its presence in the 2024 General Election.
Butale, however, deems the recent congress unconstitutional, pledging to fight for what he believes is rightfully his. Still, he dismisses allegations of contemplating a new party, emphasising unity and determination among his supporters.
Quizzed on what was his next course of action, Butale outrightly told Mmegi: “The recent so-called elective congress was unconstitutional. It is, therefore, not surprising that a lot of underhand and unethical events took place there.”
He added: “I am one leader who follows and abides by the constitution of the BPF.”
Butale further explained that he and his team were relentless, “and we will together with the force of the support of the masses behind [us], fight and never relent for what belongs to us”.
He emphasised that they remain united and steadfast in their course. His attitude is that the whole affair is just a storm in a tea cup that “will pass”.
When further asked if he was indeed contemplating forming a new party as alleged, he underlined that “when a real storm comes your way, you don’t uproot and go build another house.
We will stand and rebuild the very structure we started one way or the other.
This, by the way, is the sentiment of the masses who follow me!”
In the midst of this political turbulence, the fate of Butale within the BPF remains uncertain, as he stands resilient against challenges to his leadership and contemplates his next move.