Khama snubs the BDP Central Committee again

EPHRAIM KEORENG and OLIVER MODISE | Friday July 24, 2009 00:00

It is said that Khama has appointed 77 members of the sub-committees without consulting the BDP Central Committee, which is overwhelmingly dominated by the faction after its resounding victory on Monday. The President seems not to have recovered from the thumping his anointed A-Team got at the party elections in Kanye. It is understood all the members of the sub-committees he chose belong to the A-Team or Nkate-Merafhe faction.

BDP executive secretary, Dr Comma Serema said Khama has made the appointments though he could not reveal whether or not the President consulted with the incoming Central Committee.

'I wouldn't know how the President consulted,' he said. Khama has appointed Caroline Lesang and legislator Charles Tibone to the party's finance committee. Serema said that another MP Kavis Kario assisted by Kentse Rammidi has been appointed to chair the committee on Political Education and Elections. The disciplinary committee has Local Government Minister, Ambrose Masalila assisted by Nathaniel Moribame. Khama himself will chair the final disciplinary committee. Cabinet ministers Phandu Skelemani, Neo Moroka, Lesego Motsumi and MP Botlogile Tshireletso will also sit on the committee

Moeng Pheto has been appointed to chair the party's labour committee. Kgatleng District Council chairman, Mpho Moruakgomo has been appointed to chair the HIV/AIDS committee. The appointments make it the third time that Khama has snubbed members of the new BDP Central Committee this week after failing to welcome them on Monday and then ignoring them in the choice of additional members.

Meanwhile BDP secretary general, Gomolemo Motswaledi has expressed shock at Khama's appointments. 'It is indeed true and unimpeachable that the president of the party is constitutionally empowered to appoint any member of the party to serve in the advisory and working committees of the Central Committee,' he conceded. 'I am however shocked that the president has already exercised this right and authority,' he added.

Motswaledi stated that the secretary general, as the operations officer of the party, has a role to play in the choice of members of the working and advisory committees. He said the chairman as a goodwill officer and ambassador of the party also has a role in the appointments because he ensures there is balance. It is after the input of the chairman and secretary general, that the list of appointments should be forwarded to the party president for final consideration and approval.

'In fact as an individual, I hold the view that the best approach for this assignment would have been to kindly ask the former secretary general Jacob Nkate to produce this draft so as to ensure inclusiveness, balance and goodwill,' he stated. He emphasised that the process of selecting the committees is important. 'However, all this is not greater than the fact that the constitution of the BDP empowers the president to make his final decision,' Motswaledi explained.

The appointments have raised suspicions that reports that Khama had said he would find it hard to work with the Kedikilwe-Kwelagobe faction if it wins the BDP elections might have some truth. The reports were denied by Khama.

Though the BDP constitution gives the party president power to make appointments to sub-committees, some members accuse Khama of trying to run the party as a one-man show despite his talk of unity and his intention to lead by consultation.