Knives out for Moswaane
Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday February 1, 2017 18:07
The possible election fraud is said to be perpetuated by incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Ignatius Moswaane and Francistown West branch secretary Lizah Maguswi. The petitioners are reportedly affiliated to Tebogo Toteng who is said to be interested in contesting for the primaries in the constituency.
Otto Masogo represent the petitioners in the letter, which is addressed to BDP secretary general Botsalo Ntuane and copied to the party’s deputy treasurer Jagdish Shah, who is in charge of the Francistown region. The two-paged document dated January 16, 2017, has over 100 signatories and was delivered at Tsholetsa House on Monday.
The petition is also copied to Raoboy Mpuang who is the Francistown branch secretary. Interestingly, Mpuang has also been linked with the Francistown West primaries. “The party structures in Francistown-West are dysfunctional and in a state of disrepair. This is because the MP has domesticated the party, restricted party functionaries to friends, family and cronies who violate the party constitution willy-nilly,” reads part of the petition.
The petition continues: “The MP, fearing renewed challenge within the constituency and possible primary election loss, has resorted to manipulating the registration process, by instructing the branch to issue registration books to only cell secretaries sympathetic to his hideous cause”.
The petitioners further raised allegations that the MP, in cahoot with the branch chair has distributed member registration books outside the constituency in a bid to traffic voters. The petitioners also say the current dysfunctional committee has left very little enthusiasm in the party’s Francistown West constituency.
“This can potentially suppress voter turnout in the coming general and primary elections. The party should not tolerate party structures that support individuals at the expense of party growth,” says the petition. The petitioners also allege that the current Francistown West branch committee, said to be operational, is in fact illegitimate.
“The party constitution provides that where more than two thirds of the committee becomes inactive, there must be re-election. Instead of an election, people have been handpicked by the MP and his operatives, a feat that undermines the constitution of the party,” said the petitioners. Yesterday Moswaane denied any wrongdoing when contacted.
“Those who are complaining have a right to complain as it is part of democracy. However, my view is that they could have come directly to me to seek clarity if at all they have problems with my conduct.
I have not done anything wrong. In fact, people who complain are not even active in the party,” Moswaane said.
Moswaane said that he is yet to see the petition, but has only heard about it. Maguswi declined to comment.
Shah said that the best structure to comment is the party’s regional leadership or the secretary general. He also said that he was yet to see the petition. Mpuang said that he is yet to see the petition.
“In the event that I see it, it will not be appropriate for me to act in any manner on the subject because I have also been linked with contesting primaries in the constituency. I will refer the letter to the regional chairman,” he said.
Ntuane did not answer his phone despite repeated efforts. Both Toteng and Masogo denied knowledge of the petition.