Bontshetse snubs BNF summons
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday July 18, 2014 14:15
Party elders wanted Bontshetse to account for “events” in the constituency that they said were “negatively affecting” the party’s campaigns.
However, Bontshetse rebelled against the instruction ordering him to appear before the party top brass, consisting of the vice president Same Bathobakae and secretary general Ferdinand Kgosikoma.
On the same day as the snub, the party suspended Bontshetse’s uncle and BNF Tonota constituency vice chairman, Charles Obotseng.
Yesterday, a letter authored by Kgosikoma to Bontshetse read:
“I write under the instruction of the BNF executive committee to invite you to appear before the secretary general Kgosikoma and vice president Bathobakae on July 17 at 15:00 hours.”
The letter further states that the purpose of the meeting, “is to address ourselves to your candidacy for Tonota constituency, taking into account events that currently occur at Tonota that appear to impact negatively on the party’s campaign for 2014 general elections.
“You are advised to appear in person failing which a decision will be taken in your absence.”
Kgosikoma confirmed the letter but denied that the party had called Bontshetse for a hearing.
“This is a meeting simply for administrative purposes,” he said.
“There are certain reports that we have received from Tonota and we needed Bontshetse to verify them.
“Hear me right, we are not even suggesting a recall here, this is purely an administrative issue.
“The BNF leadership treats Bontshetse as the party member in good standing and there is no way in which we can dump him in favour of Pono Moatlhodi just like that.”
Contacted for comment on the party move yesterday, Bontshetse preferred to play his cards close to his chest.
“I am currently on the campaign trail and I only received an invite for a meeting in Gaborone by the party executive leadership whilst I was traversing the constituency at around 8am for a meeting at around 3pm which is a difficult thing for me to fulfill really,” he said.
A party insider in Gaborone informed Mmegi that Bontshetse has also demanded to know the agenda of the meeting so that if it means preparing his defence, he could do so in time rather than just going to a meeting whose agenda was a closed book to him.
The latest developments come amidst allegations in the area that the Botswana Democratic Party is possibly fomenting divisions for its benefit.
“There are reports that senior democrats are even funding activities in order to destabilise the BNF in the area, through divisions.
“The race for the area is turning uglier every second,” an insider told Mmegi.
Last year August, Bontshetse was identified as the party’s sole parliamentary candidate before Moatlhodi’s entry in April caused pertubations.
Meanwhile, the BNF leadership has also suspended Tonota constituency vice chairman, Charles Obotseng pending a hearing on Saturday in Serowe.
The letter suspending Obotseng reads in part: “You have been engaged in unlawful issuing of press statements to the print media in defiance of the known channels of communication.”
Obotseng, who is Bontshetse’s uncle, has confirmed his suspension but denies the charges against him.