BDP Cllrs warned: �Tow The Line�

Chakalisa Dube | Monday May 22, 2017 15:44

 

When releasing the memo late last week, the party chose to omit why it was being issued.

The internal communication first came to prominence at a BDP caucus to nominate North East District Council (NEDC) chairperson in the same period.

According to observers, dynamics within the party in Francistown and Gaborone is the reason the party issued the communiqué last week. “The letter is an internal party communication. It was not driven by any incident or prevailing circumstances. It was just a routine internal party communication,” BDP executive secretary Merapelo Moloise told The Monitor yesterday when asked what could have influenced the party to write the letter.

The letter which was authored by BDP secretary general, Botsalo Ntuane was distributed to the party’s regional leaders across the country.

“All councils around the country are currently undergoing elections for the council chairperson or the mayor and other committees.

The regional chairpersons or secretaries are requested to remind all BDP councillors that all caucus decisions are binding on each member as per article 32.3 of the party constitution,” read the letter in part.

The letter also said that the party encouraged regions countrywide to see to it that all decisions were implemented as agreed.

 BDP regional leaders across the country were mandated to handle the caucus elections to nominate the council leaders.

Despite Moloise’s position, here is why the party might have written the letter:

Just recently, Duncan Enga a BDP councillor in the North West District Council defied a party caucus to contest for the position of council chairperson.

Enga contested and won against fellow BDP councillor, Reaboka Mbulawa who was endorsed by the party caucus.

Enga is supporting Nonofo Molefhi for the position of party chairperson while Mbulawa is on Masisi’s side.

On the eve of mayoral elections more than a week ago, some BDP councillors in Francistown who are backing Molefhi were also said to have hatched a plan to defy a BDP caucus that had endorsed Sylvia Muzila as the city mayor. Muzila is on Masisi’s side.

The councillors abandoned their mission just before the mayoral elections.

The recent incident according to political pundits also highlights deep tension between some BDP members leading up to the party elective congress in July this year.

Factions between councillors backing Masisi and Molefhi are trying to gain control of vital party organs.

This is why they reportedly do not want to endorse each other for key positions such as that of mayor or chairperson.