PHK runs into political storm

Chakalisa Dube | Friday January 24, 2014 16:38

Accompanied by other party big wigs like secretary general, Mpho Balopi, deputy treasurer, Thapelo Olopeng and regional officials, the BDP chairman was informed in no uncertain terms at Lesedi Hall that the decision by the party central committee to order fresh primaries is misguided. After he delivered the message from the party high command, speakers took turns to vent their anger.

First off the blocks was Keletso Dambe of Monarch. “I don’t understand why you have concluded to hold fresh primaries in Francistown West when our known opinion is that there should be a re-run?” She asserted that the party should not allow any other person to contest the primaries in Francistown West besides those who were in the first contest - Ignatius Moswaane, Whyte Marobela and Angelinah Sengalo.

“We don’t accept your fresh primaries but we stick to the re-run,” shouted Dambe before she burst into song: “Domi ke swa le wena” with other party members joining the impromptu choir. Next on the firing range was another woman, Nthabiseng Motswetla. “How can my (central) committee that I respect so much come to us with a conclusion for fresh elections without our input?”

She reminded the party leadership not to commit further errors by ignoring the fact that there was a pending appeal by Marobela whose case is yet to be heard by the party. “Are you going to vet interested persons afresh? Party ya rona e re isa ko kae? (Where is our party really taking us to?)” Motswetla posed.

A visibly enraged Elias Tapela told Kedikilwe that when he heard the VP and his team would be visiting Francistown West, he thought it would bring peace to the constituency. “Now, as you go back to Gaborone know that mo Francistown West phathi e tsile go sala e thubega, e thujwa ke ma BDP le ma central committee,” Tapela said to deafening applause from the hall.

When former Monarch South councillor rose in support of a fresh primary, he was shouted down.

Sensing that he was not going to win, Kedikilwe asked if he should conclude that majority of the people were for a re-run. The charged crowd answered with a deafening “Yes”.

“I don’t want to see you tearing each other apart,” a despairing Kedikilwe responded. He said he would report the developments to President Ian Khama. “Party lawyer, Tafa and I will come back on Sunday and explain to you the whole situation as encapsulated by the law,” he said. “The good thing about fresh primaries is that there will be vetting. We will explain further the legal implications on Sunday,” he said before postponing the meeting to Sunday.

Earlier, the VP narrated in a diplomatic tone why the party decided to order fresh primaries in Francistown West to a decidedly hostile crowd. He said the BDP leadership has been looking at all the issues surrounding Francistown West by-election where the party has failed to field a candidate after a botched nomination. “As the central committee, we were advised by the party lawyer, Parks Tafa that under the current situation, it will be ideal to settle for fresh primaries as opposed to a re-run,” he said to loud murmurs of disapproval from the hall.

He explained that as time was no longer on the side of the BDP, it was a given that tomorrow’s by-election will go ahead without a candidate from the party. He said the BDP leadership has decided to focus on the general elections and not the by-election as circumstances have worked against the party. “The BDP shall not have representation in the weekend by-election as all the efforts of the central committee through last year’s court battles have not borne fruit,” he said. The agitated crowd then got the chance to savage the party top brass during question time.