BDP youths in bitter breakdown
Ryder Gabathuse | Wednesday February 17, 2016 18:00
Upon return from the weekend Mosu inaugural national youth council meet, the delegates from the Gaborone region immediately served a petition on the leadership.
Nine party youths from the Gaborone region on Monday slapped the BDPNYEC with a petition listing issues that they are not happy with.
Signatories to the petition, who were delegates to Mosu, include Moses Mogaekwa, Thato Mothulwe, Boss Jerry, Lesego Lesonya, Tefo Marumo, Kaisara Sejoe, Kagiso Mongwaketse, Lameck Mbaakanyi and Nonofo Ipotseng.
“We the undersigned delegates of BDP youth wing from Gaborone were gravely dismayed by the reception we received from the leadership of NYEC at the just ended inaugural national youth council,” the letter reads in part.
They say they were particularly irked by a recent newspaper report suggesting that they were destined to suggest at the Mosu meet that the BDP presidential elections should be held next year when in actual fact, “it was the BDP NYEC chairman, Andy Boatile who raised the issue and not Gaborone youth.” The motion was rejected outright in Mosu.
They also complain about the treatment they got from the Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, Thapelo Olopeng.
“...After an eloquent presentation by Minister Olopeng, a number of us raised some pertinent questions on the Youth Development Fund as it was our understanding that, that was the entire objective of the weekend council,” further reads the petition.
The Gaborone youth said they were surprised to note that in his immediate response to the issues raised, instead of Olopeng answering the questions, he wanted to know where the youth asking the questions were from.
“On discovering that we were from Gaborone, he then retorted that he is not surprised it would come from Gaborone. He went further to say that, ‘they’ know that we Gaborone youth are there to launch unwarranted attacks,” reads the petition, adding that the Minister’s comments took them aback.
They also alleged that Boatile conducted the proceedings, “as he did so in an acrimonious and malicious fashion towards us. At one point he even suggested that he has the right to kick us out of the youth council.”
“…In a consultation meeting held with Gaborone youth structures, Boatile stated that he feels that we do not support him because we had not voted for him in the elections at Masunga.”
The petition requested to meet with the BDPNYEC where the matter would be addressed openly. They have also asked the NYEC to organise a meeting to be attended by the BDP party secretary general, Botsalo Ntuane and Olopeng.
“We would like Olopeng to share with us what he meant in his deliberations. We would also like to establish if he has a problem with the BDP Gaborone region youth.”
One of the signatories to the petition, Bose Jerry confirmed that he indeed signed the petition and indicated that what appears on the petition was shared with the NYEC general secretary Simon Mavange.
“Mavange even promised that he would convey our concerns to the relevant people,” said Jerry.
Although Mavange told Mmegi yesterday that he was yet to receive the petition letter, he confirmed having given the Gaborone youth audience over a number of pertinent issues they had raised.
“At Mosu, Gaborone region youth strongly felt that they were not treated well at the youth council and I took time with them and promised them that I would attend to their complaints,” said Mavange indicating that their contention was that the NYEC chairperson, Boatile did not address and treat them well.
Boatile, however, downplayed complaints in the petition, insisting that he was yet to receive it.
“What I know is that all went well and those who wanted to derail the youth council were brought to order accordingly,” explained Boatile.
He said during the council it was apparent that there were those who had valid points but it was mainly the way they presented such points that became a problem and required the intervention of the youth leadership.
Minister Olopeng insisted he did no wrong.
“I hear you, but it was my duty to ascertain where all the speakers came from so that we weigh how we could intervene,” said Olopeng.
He denied attacking Gaborone region youth. “People ought to appreciate that I was addressing them from a very skewed position and every time I was forced to intervene and ask from which region the speaker came from and that’s all,” he said.