�You can�t vote Mokalaka�

Ryder Gabathuse | Friday June 12, 2015 15:24

War of words have erupted in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) as accusations fly thick and fast that Ngamiland legislator Thato Kwerepe made inflammatory statement promoting tribalism.

The former BDP secretary general is alleged to have told Ngamiland BDP colleagues that they could not endorse Biggie Butale for chairmanship as he is Kalanga and his sympathies lie with the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Kwerepe, however, vehemently denied the accusations levelled against him, saying there was no way he could have said that.  The legislator instead demanded that Butale should produce people who reported to him.

Butale is not taking the matter lying down. He said he intends reporting the attack to the BDP central committee by today (Friday).

Mmegi is informed that at the centre of an already controversy-ridden campaign for the position of BDP chairperson, Kwerepe told his constituents not to vote for Tati-West MP because he is a “Mokalaka.”

Kwerepe, it is emerged, was campaigning for the Vice President, Mokgweetsi Masisi.

It is alleged that in a telephone conversation,  Kwerepe categorically told some members of his constituency who suggested endorsing Butale for the chairmanship that, “Ga le ka ke la tlhopha mokalaka (You can’t vote for a Mokalaka)”

A visibly angry Butale yesterday confirmed receiving such reports from some of  his supporters in Ngamiland.

“I have received reports Wednesday this week through some of my supporters at both Ngamiland and across the country indicating that they were told not to vote for me on the basis that I was Kalanga and pro-opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change,” said an obviously disappointed Butale.

 “I don’t think we should stoop that low as a party even if we were in a fierce contest and venture into tribal politics because that can be dangerous,” said Butale, adding that if reports he has received were true then his party was losing direction.

“I take the matter seriously and both the party acting executive secretary and secretary general are unfortunately outside the country and I would have lodged a formal complaint with them to clear the matter,” he said yesterday.

Butale and Kwerepe seat next to each in Parliament and they both recently attended the Pan African Parliament (PAP) forum in Midrand, South Africa.

Asked if he would pursue the issue, Butale responded: “Definitely, I give Kwerepe up to the end of today (Thursday) to talk to me failing which, I approach the BDP central committee for redress. I take his alleged utterances as a serious matter that requires serious attention”.

Kwerepe professed innocence.

“Butale is a party and parliamentary colleague and he should have asked me about the whole thing,” said Kwerepe, adding that to his best recollection he never uttered the alleged statement.

Kwerepe  said the alleged phone call to his constituents informing them not to make a mistake of voting for politicians like Butale because of their  tribal considerations, never happened.

“I don’t know the person who is spreading the malicious rumour that I was using tribal politics to de-campaign Butale,” said Kwerepe.

Kwerepe’s alleged inflammatory statements are seen as divisive and fueling tribalism as that of Masire, who is alleged to have  told a BDP southern region conference in Jwaneng  last  weekend to back Masisi to the post as he was a southerner.

Mmegi  has learnt that like in other regions, Ngamiland constituents are still not settled on whom to vote for at the fast approaching July elective congress in Mmadinare. 

Just under a month to the congress, still in the race are vice president Masisi, Butale, Botswana ’s former envoy to the US Tebelelo Seretse, former minister Ramadeluka Seretse, Seteng Motalaote and  businessman-cum-politician Moemedi Dijeng. Ngamiland forms part of the North West region, of whose regional chairman, Baphuthuludi Kgari professed ignorance to Kwerepe’s alleged utterances. “What I know is that the Ngamiland branch holds a congress in Nokaneng where they will elect delegates to the July congress over the weekend,” he said yesterday.

Kgari explained that in the BDP, party operatives are allowed to run for political office just anywhere without any tribal consideration.

“If there are reports of tribal politics in the North West they are yet to reach me or the region,” he added. Tensions in the BDP chairmanship race have already played themselves out in the region. Two weekends ago, operatives exchanged blows in Maun after they differed over the conduct of the branch congress to elect delegates to the Mmadinare elective congress.

Nico Folae, of the Masisi camp, allegedly assaulted Maun East youth secretary Oabile Johannes, who is in Butale’s campaign team. The fight allegedly broke out after Johannes opposed Folae’s suggestion to postpone the meeting, which was to elect delegates to the Mmadinare congress. Johannes has since lodged an assault common case with the Maun police and the matter is currently under investigations.