BDP operatives exchange blows in Maun
Boniface Keakabetse | Wednesday June 3, 2015 18:03
MAUN: Campaigns for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) chairmanship race got nasty in Maun as two party members fought over the nomination of delegates for the congress.
The fight happened after the visit by Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi who came to campaign in the North West region on Saturday where the nomination of delegates was scheduled. In attendance, were party members from Maun, Ngamiland and Okavango branches.
At the meeting North West District council chairman, Reaboka Mbulawa and his deputy Lathang Molonda and Maun administrative vice chairman, Nico Folae apparently declared their support for Masisi.
But BDP North West region chairman Baphutholodi Kgari and the majority of Maun West councillors apparently told Masisi point blank that they supported another contender for the position of the chairperson, Tebelelo Seretse.
Efforts to solicit comments from Kgari were futile Monday morning as he claimed he was too busy to comment when approached.
However, things took a nasty turn at the scheduled Maun East congress on Sunday which was supposed to vote delegates from the constituency to vote at the party’s July elective congress.
Maun East youth secretary, Oabile Johannes who is campaigning for Biggie Butale was allegedly assaulted by Nico Folae after he (Johannes) opposed Folae who had suggested that the congress be postponed. Johannes told Mmegi in an interview that Folae had phoned some members on the Saturday night of Masisi’s visit telling them that the congress had been stopped saying some BDP members in Maun East got suspicious.
“We got suspicious that they wanted to buy time so that they could buy those who will be nominated to vote for Masisi. The congress had been long scheduled before Masisi’s visit and we were surprised when they wanted it postponed at the last minute,” Johannes said.
He said their suspicion is that Masisi team realised that they did not have enough support as they started campaigning late and wanted to postpone the congress to buy time.
Johannes said as the youth secretary he was disturbed by the events and phoned party members asking why the congress was postponed. This act, he said, seemed to rub Folae the wrong way.
“Folae assaulted me as he pulled me and strangled me in front of party members accusing me of spreading the rumours that he had stopped the congress. I have since opened a criminal case at the Maun Police station,” he said.
Assistant superintendent Borefeletse Paphane of Maun police confirmed the case. Paphane said the case was freshly reported on Monday morning saying investigations into the case have just started.
Folae however, rubbished the accusation, saying he did not assault Johannes. Folae said he had advised that the party should not continue with the branch nominations as this would have violated the BDP nomination regulations.
According to Folae, the regulations state that before delegates are nominated at a constituency level they should have been nominated first at their respective wards level saying in this case this did not happen.
“They wanted to nominate delegates who have not been chosen by the wards. I only posited that we should follow procedure but some people misintrepreted me,” he explained.
Folae said the issue is factionally motivated as Johannes does not take kindly to their support for Masisi. Folae said he and Johannes had never been on good terms saying their misunderstandings started long after the primary elections.
Meanwhile, the Maun East congress was postponed against the wishes of party members who had wanted it to go on. The congress will be held tomorrow (Thursday) at Boseja Primary School.