Khama Spurns Elders Late Reconciliation Effort
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday April 1, 2019 18:00
Those who had gone to meet Khama included Patrick Balopi, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, David Magang and Ray Molomo. BDP council of elders met with Khama recently as a way of trying to find ways to reconcile him with the party Masisi before Kang congress.
The Monitor is informed that the Council of Elders is concerned about the recent divisions within the party and the tussle between the two. Council of elders has been trying to broker a peace deal between Masisi and Khama since last year, but their efforts had not borne fruit.
“The elders told Khama that his dispute and Masisi is not good for the party and the country and therefore pleaded with him to support Masisi for party presidency as it has always been the BDP practice,” a source said.
“They told him that President Masisi is determined to make peace with him and he is willing to meet him before Kang to iron out their differences. The elders also reminded him that “he” should not forget that they regard him as the party elder and it does not look good for him to be against the President whom he endorsed.”
Another source said the elders told Khama that they would never give up until he had reconciled with Masisi.
However, The Monitor has learnt that Khama declined to drop his support for Pelonomi Venson- Moitoi and told the elders that the proposal they brought was biased and they always want to favour Masisi. The source said Khama told the elders that he can only meet with the party president after Kang congress.
BDP national council of elders chairperson, Balopi confirmed that they met Khama.
“Sale re ntse re kopana le rre Khama last year go fithelela malobanyana hela jaana. Tla bo ke sa dire sentle ha nka bua gore bagolo ba ne ba re romile eng. Dikgang tsa bagolo gase tsa bobega dikgang,” Balopi said.
For his part, Khama confirmed the meeting and declined to comment further on the matter.
One of the national council of elders’ duties is to perform and/ or carry out any such function which the central committee may from time to time delegate to it; these may include investigations, arbitration and reconciliation of differences and disputes where necessary within the party structures and/ or members.