UDC to suspend Pilane
Chakalisa Dube | Friday September 7, 2018 18:00
According to a document leaked to Mmegi, the three parties resolved that the next UDC national executive committee (NEC) meeting should be devoted to tackling the BMD and in particular Pilane. The resolution was taken during a meeting between the three parties on August 25, 2018 in Francistown. The tripartite gathering resolved that the next UDC NEC meeting should discuss the concerns raised at the (tripartite) meeting within 14 days (from August 25).
The UDC NEC meeting is yet to take place and it is still unclear as to when it will meet.The document detailing the outcomes of the meeting bears the names of Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang, Moeti Mohwasa and Venter Galetshabiwe. The three men who were key at the August meeting hold high positions in their respective parties as secretary-generals, while Mohwasa also is also the spokesperson of the UDC. The recent development comes amidst growing reports that some influential BCP, BNF and BPP cadres are hatching a plan to get rid of Pilane. Although he has constantly denied it on several platforms, Pilane has often been accused of causing problems in the UDC.Interestingly, the BPP, who have often appeared to be on the side of the BMD during feuding within the UDC has now changed its posture, according to insiders.
Even some members of the BMD Youth League have in the past accused Pilane of being the primary troublemaker in the UDC. The three parties have lined up five items that should be dealt with at the UDC NEC meeting. All the items are directly and indirectly linked to Pilane.The first item that the three parties want to be dealt with is the failure of the BMD to cooperate with the BNF to resolve the deadlock over Moshupa/Manyana and Mmopane/Lentsweletau constituencies.
Most notable in April the BNF and BMD were fighting over the Moshupa-Manyana constituency ahead of a by-election, which the Botswana Democratic Party retained.
The BMD reportedly fielded a new comer, Jonathan Sethono for the by-election while some BNF members insisted on Ngaka Monageng who contested in the area in 2014 to represent the UDC. In 2014, the BMD loaned the BNF the constituency because they had no candidate.
Following a vacancy for a by-election that was necessitated by the ascendance of Mokgweetsi Masisi to the state presidency of the country, the BMD wanted the constituency back, and fielded Sethono despite strong disapproval from the BNF.
The three parties’ Francistown meeting also decided that the UDC NEC should discuss the conduct of the BMD towards the BCP. The BMD is accused of causing confusion and anxiety about the status of the BCP in the UDC.
The three parties are said to be also deeply concerned about the negative resentment countrywide of the leader of the BMD, Pilane. The UDC NEC will also make a determined effort to deal with Pilane’s “uncontrollable outbursts and divisive tendencies” as well as his failure to accept that the BMD split has affected its capacity to deliver the constituencies it has been allocated to contest at the next general elections.Yesterday, UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa said that he could not discuss internal matters of the UDC with the media. “It will be very unethical as a leader to do so,” he said.