Radisele villagers query Venson-Moitoi�s absence
Bonte Seepi | Tuesday February 14, 2017 16:14
The constituents expressed their displeasure during the Central District Council (CDC) chairperson’s poorly attended Kgotla meeting held last week Friday.
One of the residents, Sarah Nkgwa said that they no longer know if they still have an MP or not.
“I don’t know how to express this because maybe you will not take it well chairperson, but we are poorly represented. We don’t have a village leader, Kgosi and we no longer know if we have a political leader. We do not know if Venson-Moitoi is still our MP or not because she is never in the area,” Nkgwa said.
Venson-Moitoi last held a Kgotla meeting in her constituency last year before her campaigns for the chairmanship seat at the African Union (AU) commission, which she lost to Chad’s Moussa Faki Mahamat.
CDC chairman, Peter Williams responded to the gathering mockingly wondering, “which other MP do you want because you have Lesedi Phuthego who is Palapye Administrative Authority (PAA) chairperson who is always in the area representing your MP”.
On his part, Phuthego who is eyeing the veteran politician’s MP seat was quick to defend Venson-Moitoi saying she was still busy with the AU campaign.
Phuthego who is also Mogome-Mokgware councillor explained to the gathering that the AU chairmanship campaign has been putting their MP on her toes and since it is done she would soon be visible in her constituency.
He assured the meeting he would personally contact her regarding their complaints because they are not the first people to raise such a grievance. Phuthego and Tebelelo Seretse were quoted last year in the media openly declaring their interest in the constituency after the veteran politician announced her retirement. Phuthego was quoted saying should Venson-Moitoi give him her blessings he will stand for the BDP primary elections.
When contacted for comment, Venson-Moitoi concurred that she has not been in the constituency for too long, saying that she was still busy with the AU campaign. However, she indicated that since she told her constituents that she would not be visible for sometime, those asking about her whereabouts are just politicking.
“The AU elections were held last week and when I arrived home parliamentary sessions were on. I couldn’t just neglect it and rush to the constituency; I have to seek permission from President Ian Khama first. So I will still do that and go back to check on my constituency, I know it has been long,” she said.
She said that some BDP members who wish to take her seat are influencing those who are asking about her whereabouts, badmouthing her in the event she changes her mind to stand in 2019.