Masisi�s home region snubs his endorsement
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Tuesday June 9, 2015 15:37
The region, which houses Masisi’s home constituency of Moshupa/Manyana, held a regional congress over the weekend, which was attended by Masisi, Tebelelo Seretse, Moemedi Dijeng and Seteng Motalaote.
Masisi, Seretse, Dijeng and Motalaote are among the hopefuls for the BDP’s chairmanship, which will be decided at a national congress on July 3, 2015.
Mmegi has been informed that ahead of the region’s congress, two lobby lists emerged, with one group in favour of Masisi for party chair and the other in favour of his rivals. A letter authored by Masire was read out in which the former president stated his support for Masisi’s candidacy.
Yesterday, the newly elected regional committee chairman, Lentswe Mosanako said that while most of the positions had been won by pro-Masisi candidates, the two most important posts were held by democrats supporting other chairmanship candidates.
According to the BDP constitution, the chairman and secretary of each region are voting delegates at the national congress. Mosanako and his secretary, Olga Ditsie will represent the region at the July 3 congress.
Traditionally, BDP chairmanship hopefuls always strive to secure the support of their regions, ahead of other potential supporters. “Of course there were two lobby list when the congress started and some were clear about whom they support. Those who supported Masisi won most of the seats except chairman and secretary. “I had told my committee members at the congress, everyone is free to support or vote for those that they want,” he said. Mosanako and his secretary are understood to be rallying behind Seretse for the chairmanship, although not overtly. At the weekend congress, chairmanship hopefuls were at the forefront of a fundraising effort for the region, with, Masisi pledging P5,000, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi P1,000, Eric Molale P1,000, Dijeng P500, and Motalaote a cow, the former region’s secretary, Fankie Motsaathebe said.
Motsaathebe told Mmegi that the region was fundraising to boost its coffers in order to fulfil its mandate.