Khama, minister out to sideline us - Bakgatla leaders
Tefo Pheage | Tuesday March 1, 2016 15:37
Mochudi West legislator, Gilbert Mangole and Kgatleng District Council chair, Mpho Morolong, barely appear when top government officials visit the district. Commentators in the area say this is because the area has been in the hands of the opposition for some time.
On Friday, when Khama addressed a meeting in Dikgonnye, which falls under Mangole, the legislator was conspicuously absent from the programme.
At that particular event, the area councillor accompanied Khama, despite the fact that traditionally, members of parliament flank and welcome the President, while councillors welcome visiting MPs.
Commentators said the apparent stand-off in Kgatleng was not surprising as Khama is on record as saying he has a low regard of the opposition due to their constant bashing of him and his administration.
Mangole told Mmegi that he knew nothing about the meeting and was only notified on the day of the event by the District Commissioner, upon enquiring whether it was true that the president would be in his constituency.
“This is not the first time this has happened but I am happy that Batswana are wiser now and can see these things.
I feel pity for the District Commissioner,” the MP said.
Two weeks ago, Tsogwane paid a visit to Kgatleng District Council employees where he held an interaction session with workers but never bothered to inform, engage or invite Morolong.
Confirming the development, Morolong said he was shocked as the minister’s engagement with workers was mere metres from his office.
Morolong said: “The conference room in which the minister was addressing council heads of department and workers was two metres away from me but he left me shocked when he passed by my office without even a greeting at best.
“This political intolerance is unfortunate and misguided and must be adressed because we are human and we will soon retaliate.
If they were part of this and never bothered to engage the Minister about this, then clearly they also have issues which I need to know.
“We can not work like this. This is so immature and irresponsible of our leaders and needs to come to an end.”
Morolong added that he was equally shocked to find that Kgosi Segale had performed the welcoming remarks at the engagement.
The latest developments between government and Kgatleng leadership follows last year’s freezing by government of a P12 million deal between the local authority and First National Bank Botswana for the procurement of 30 vehicles to improve service delivery.
Kgatleng District Council had entered into a deal with FNB to purchase the vehicles under a loan payable in five years but government froze the deal saying it was placing government into unnecessary debts.
“Even on this issue, I requested to see the minister after learning of his displeasure with the deal, but he blatantly declined,” Morolong said.
In an interview with this publication, Tsogwane said Morolong should blame his council secretary and not him if at all there is anybody to be blamed.
“I had come to speak to management and not him, if he wanted to attend he should have attended as management, if he did not get an invite or notification he should take up the issue with his council secretary,” he said.
Tsogwane continued that if Morolong wanted to speak to him he could have also told him so, further adding that on the issue of FNB , it was Kgatleng Council and the administration and not him personally.
”If they failed to settle their issue with the Permenant Secretary to the President, they should not drag me in their affairs,” he charged.