Moswaane, Mpuang continue to trade barbs
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday April 16, 2014 12:27
Moswaane, the BDP candidate for Francistown West, resigned his seat as councillor for Monarch South last year to contest the primary elections. He won the first time but was barred from contesting the controversial by-elections that were won by Dr Habaudi Hobona of the Botswana Congress Party. The BDP had another take at the primaries last month, and Mpuang, councillor for Monarch East, was among those who tried their luck and lost to Moswaane – who garnered 973 to the former’s 426.
The two were on each other’s case before and after Bulela Ditswe. However, the party’s Francistown region chairperson, Ford Moiteela told Mmegi this week that they had thought the two had reconciled.
“We are not aware that the two are not in good terms. We have not received any report yet, but after the party re-run primary elections, a meeting was held to mediate between the two party candidates,” said Moiteela.
“We thought the two had buried the hatchet and moved on to work together for the party, “ he said. Mpuang confirmed that there was bad blood between him and Moswaane. Mpuang alleged that Moswaane’s campaign team was spreading ‘malicious’ rumours that he was not to be trusted as he once defected to the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).
He said the rumourmongers were alleging that he would be contesting as an independent candidate in the October general elections.
“I have made my mistakes to go and join the BMD but I later realised where I belonged and came back. The party, under the leadership of President Ian Khama, accepted me back and I am fully committed to the BDP, “ he said.
Mpuang insisted that he has accepted Moswaane’s win and was ready to work with him. But he was being snubbed, he said.
“I am not involved at all. They do not call me for meetings on the preparations of the general elections.
“I have tried to show Moswaane that I am fully committed to working for the party, but he is pushing me away by not involving me,” he said. Mpuang said that he intended reporting the issue to the party’s regional office because the rumours were tarnishing his reputation.
He denied that he ever entertained ideas of contesting as an independent. “People will end up thinking I am not a person to be trusted.
“I made mistakes and have learnt from them. Spreading rumours amongst electorates will give them wrong impressions whilst they are the same people I will be campaigning for votes one day,” said Mpuang.
Attempts to contact Moswaane failed as his phone was off.
Tensions between Bulela Ditswe contenders have dogged the BDP since the system was introduced before the 2004 general elections. But this time around the animosity seems to be worse. And the party leadership has taken to reconciling not just candidates but also supporters. In some cases, the reconciliatory moves have not stopped losing candidates resigning and contesting as independents.
But Moiteela says as leaders, they are duty bound to mediate. “We have visited all the constituencies mediating between the winning and losing candidates,” he said, adding that “This evening (Wednesday) we are supposed to mediate between candidates in the Francistown East constituency.”
From there, Moiteela said they would visit Francistown West, “again to mediate between the two (Maswaane and Mpuang) because we do not want anything to come between them. They have to work together to win the constituency come the general elections. “