The curse of Camp Dubai
Staff Writer | Friday October 19, 2018 18:00
What is shocking is that these self-appointed generals believe the war they are waging is a secret yet they are leaving their prints all over, continues Seretse.
Seretse does not mention names but it is not difficult to tell who he is referring to. The irony of this statement is that Seretse is said to be one of those who told Masisi to his face at a Cabinet meeting last year that he did not have confidence in his leadership.
He was allegedly supported in his dressing down of Masisi by Biggie Butale, Tshekedi Khama amongst others. Other Cabinet ministers in what seemed to have been a planned coup de tat of the then vice president played it safe by taking a somewhat cowardly stance. It is said that Cabinet ministers such as Sadique Kebonang, Shaw Kgathi and Slumber Tsogwane stuck their necks for Masisi.
Kebonang and Kgathi were naive to think they would not pay a price for this stance. Kebonang was most vulnerable. A new comer to politics, he was seen as Masisi’s blue eyed boy.
When there was a cabinet reshuffle only he and Dr Alfred Madigele got promoted. His promotion was at the instance of Masisi. He became marked both by the anti-Masisi camp and those within the Masisi camp, otherwise known as Camp Dubai, who saw him taking their perceived space.
As someone who solicited funds for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) since 2014, he was expected to be firmly in Khama’s corner and to do his bidding.
However, coming into Parliament in 2014, he became one of Masisi’s staunchest loyalist. He was doomed. The National Petroleum Fund (NPF) saga was to be used effectively against him by those who wanted to cut him to size.
The BDP insiders said as someone who was in Masisi fundraising team, all his solicitations were to be leaked to the press in an effort to tarnish him.
Kebonang’s downfall was not the doing of the Nonofo/Tshekedi faction, but was taken out by his own faction led by Samson Guma Moyo and Mpho Balopi. What bonded them in Mmadinare and Tonota now began to destroy them - the attention for Masisi.
Moyo, who did not get promoted much to his annoyance, is now running around campaigning to replace Balopi as secretary general of the ruling party. Balopi in the meantime stands accused by most democrats for targeting his perceived enemies by sponsoring candidates against them. Once again, those targeted were in the Camp Dubai in Mmadinare and Tonota.
Masisi supporters as Seretse say, have been left on the sidelines, not knowing what hit them. They never saw that their faction would self-destruct so soon. As it does, the other faction is regrouping. As the country approaches the 2019 general elections more hits, lies, destructive gossip would become the norm in the BDP. Unless Masisi wakes up, he will find himself surrounded by enemies masquerading as friends.
The curse of Camp Dubai is set to continue until 2019 elections and the BDP will be fraught with tension as democrats turn against each other. They will in 2019 campaign for opposition members unless something drastic happens. Only Masisi can save the BDP.