Tlou boycotts BCP meeting to endorse CC decision
Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday April 2, 2014 10:42
The Friday meeting, according to insiders was called to communicate the party’s central committee decision to not hold primaries in less than six months. Tlou yesterday maintained that the party should have approached him as an affected party in the case before going to the constituency and party regional leadership.
“That is why I boycotted the meeting,” he said briefly. Tlou and another hopeful, Baatlhodi Monyatsi, was prevented from contesting the primaries against Dr Habaudi Hobona, who has since won the constituency and is now its member of Parliament.
Though Tlou did not turn up for the meeting, Mmegi has it on good authority that the Francistown West constituency leadership invited both Monyatsi and Tlou.
At the meeting, BCP leadership in Francistown West endorsed the party central committee decision to not hold the primaries for the second time in less than six months.
Party Vice President Batisani Maswibilili, confirmed the endorsement in an interview with Mmegi yesterday morning.
Maswibilili was in the city over the weekend to communicate the party decision - taken two weeks ago - to the Francistown West constituency leaders.
“Only one person who happened to be part of the meeting opposed the party decision not to hold the primaries,” he said.
“But the rest of the people who attended the meeting endorsed it after I thoroughly explained why the party would not hold other primaries,” he said.
The party’s Francistown West Constituency leadership, the leadership from the larger Francistown region as well as some council candidates in the constituency, attended the meeting.
“My mandate was to address the constituency leadership on the party decision. They will then inform the constituents in Francistown West including supporters of the two men (Tlou and Monyatsi) about what transpired at the meeting.” The constituency leadership will also meet Tlou and Monyatsi to discuss what transpired in meeting.
“If there is anyone who needs counselling regarding the party decision to not go for the primaries, the party will offer such counselling,” Maswibilili said.
While some sources said Monyatsi had endorsed the party decision to not go for the early primaries after the weekend meeting, the parliamentary hopeful was quick to dismiss the allegations. “I just attended the meeting as a spectator. I never commented on Maswibilili’s address.
“At the moment I do not want to comment further on the matter in the media because I do not want to jeopardise my relationship with the party,” he said yesterday.
Although the Francistown West respective Secretary and Chairperson, Smarts Shabane and Reuben Kethoilwe were not available for comment by press time, Francistown region leader, Samuel Moribame, said the constituency leadership endorsed the party’s decision on primaries. Moribame was part of the weekend meeting.
The BCP decided not to hold party primaries and endorse Dr Hobona as its candidate in Francistown West saying that she would be busy in the National Assembly and would not have time to prepare for the primaries.
The first primaries held in Francistown West were in October last year and they were primarily to qualify a candidate for the by-election in the constituency.
Hobona won the primaries. The second primaries were billed for February before they were called off.