Moatlhodi claims UDC ticket as Bontshetse ducks queries
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday June 25, 2014 06:59
“I have been given a short time but you will hear my side of the story at my launch very soon at Tonota,” the MP said in Masunga at the launch of UDC parliamentary candidate for Tati West, Richard Gudu over the weekend. The master of ceremony at the event added weight to Moatlhodi’s comments saying that “very soon we will be launching our candidate ‘Botate’ in Tonota” and proceeding to call the UDC party faithful to attend the impending launch in large numbers.
The UDC has been in a dilemma on who to field after Moatlhodi defected from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) at a time when Bontshetse had been given the nod to represent the coalition in the constituency. It is reported that the two politicians struck a deal to give the ticket to Moatlhodi at a recent meeting at Thapama Hotel in Francistown.
Both Bontshetse and the UDC leadership adopted a guarded stance when reached for comment on the issue. Bontshetse did not deny meeting Moatlhodi but declined to give details, preferring to refer queries to the Botswana National Front (BNF) secretary general, Tapiso Kgosikoma. BNF to which Bontshetse belongs, Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) have ganged up to contest the elections under UDC.
“Ga ke bue le dipampiri. Ke itse se o se batlang. Leletsa Kgosikoma ke ene aka buang le wena (I don’t talk to newspapers. I know what you want. Call Kgosikoma. He is the one who can talk to you),” was Maokaneng’s response to reports that he has stepped down for Moatlhodi.
Kgosikoma was not willing to reveal much saying he knew the duo was supposed to meet to reach an agreement on the issue and the BNF top brass has not yet been informed about either the meeting or what transpired.
“We have not been notified about the two’s agreement. But what we know is that they are supposed to meet. But I believe if they have met, we will soon have a report of their meeting, “ said Kgosikoma.
Moatlhodi was equally elusive, electing to refer Mmegi to the BNF leadership saying: “I am not in a position to comment on the issue”.
BNF publicity secretary, Moeti Mohwasa said yesterday that the only thing he knew was that Bontshetse and Moatlhodi were still in talks and that he has not yet been notified as to whether they have reached an agreement.
“Yes the two are still in talks about that issue and up to today (yesterday morning) they have not notified us about any decision they have taken, but as soon as they have reached an agreement, they will inform us,” said Mohwasa. Efforts to reach UDC secretary general, Gomolemo Motswaledi failed as his phone rang unanswered.
Moatlhodi defected from the BDP following his loss to Thapelo Olopeng in last year’s BDP primary elections. He said he had been cheated and the party was refusing to listen to his side of the story. After his defection, he was welcomed in the opposition ranks at the BNF-cum-UDC rally in Tonota. It has been said the UDC delayed in launching Bontshetse so that he could pave way for Moatlhodi whose chances of retaining the seat are reported to be higher.