BDP postpones hearings for Moyo, others
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday April 18, 2019 13:40
The accused persons were supposed to appear before the Committee for various offences. The hearings could have started on Tuesday this week. This was after they were accused to have attended an ‘illegal’ meeting in Serowe late February 2019.
According to a source, some of the reasons for the postponement was that Serowe South MP candidate Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi had written a letter to Tsholetsa House asking why the hearings could not be heard in Serowe where it was alleged the crime took place.
“The BDP has responded to Venson-Moitoi’s letter demanding to know in what capacity Venson-Moitoi made the request. Venson-Moitoi wanted to be given reasons why the meetings could not be heard in Serowe, since the witnesses and the accused people stayed in Serowe. Both the BDP and Venson-Moitoi are yet to respond to the correspondence and that is what led to postponement,” a source said.
Similarly, the BDP sub-communication chairperson Kagelelo Kentse said; “ it is true the disciplinary hearings had been postponed. The date of commencement of the hearings has not yet been announced. I cannot disclose the reasons for postponement. They are internal”.
All the persons who are yet to appear for disciplinary hearings are those who supported Venson-Moitoi for her presidential candidacy at Kang.
The ruling party had initially cautioned the members who attended the alleged illegal Serowe gathering, stating that it was not officially sanctioned, adding that if such continued, action would be taken.
There was no complaint raised against former president, Ian Khama and former presidential aspirant, Venson-Moitoi. although the two attended the illegal meeting. The accused are expected to appear before the committee on different dates alongside their witnesses.
However, a letter from the party to the accused did not state the kind of offences the accused have committed.
“There has been an official complaint about the meeting. We will now investigate the matter and if need be, action will be taken against those in the wrong,” BDP Secretary General, Mpho Balopi said.
The letter reads in part “We wish to advise that the meeting was held contrary to Article 45.3 of the constitution of the BDP which states that “The place, date and time of any meeting of an organ of the Party shall be determined by the Chairpersons of that meeting. Any caprice of fides in making such determination shall invalidate such meeting and may render the person making such determination liable to disciplinary action”.
According to a letter authored on March 1, 2019 by Serowe West Branch chairperson, Steady Sethaba, a question was raised by one elder demanding that the meeting be informed on how there could have been an election of the president at TTC (at the regional congress) without their knowledge and in the absence of certain structural protocols being followed.