UDC cllrs defy leadership
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday April 26, 2017 15:44
This was after the UDC affiliated parties; the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) leaders intervened to unite councillors in the GCC.
Some party leaders who attended the GCC special meeting to ensure that members vote according to the caucus agreement were BCP secretary general, Kesitegile Gobotswang, and his equivalents at BMD and BNF, namely, Gilbert Mangole, and Moeti Mohwasa.
BCP executive secretary, Akanyang Magama accompanied them.
Last Friday, the UDC leaders confirmed Kagiso Thutlwe and Kagiso Tshekega as Mayor and deputy Mayor following the caucus resolution.
This did not deter BMD councillor, Rhoda Sekgororoane from challenging Thutlwe of the BNF for the Mayorship.
Thutlwe embarrassingly defeated Sekgororoane by 23 votes to 12. It is very clear that Sekgororoane got nine votes from Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and three from UDC.
GCC has 36 councillors and only one UDC councillor Tidimalo Thunthung was absent. Interestingly, after the two names were read, some UDC councillors demanded the names of people who had nominated those people be read out.
“As a party, we have an agreement and we want to know the name of the persons who nominated and seconded Sekgororoane’s name.
That will help our party to take action because we are representing parties here, not ourselves,” Tlogatloga councillor, Motlogelwa Moatlhodi said.
However, the city clerk, Mpho Mathe said Standing Orders said their votes should be done through a secret ballot and therefore he would not disclose names of people who nominated the candidates and those who seconded them.
Mangole said: “I am disappointed with how the things turned out. UDC has talked to councillors and that is why they held their elections before this one. As BMD, we will have to find the cause of this and disciplinary action will follow. This is totally wrong.
We cannot allow our members to deliberately defy the party caucus. They are not representing themselves here but the party.”